Editorial | Japan’s new emperor should learn from his father

There is great significance for Japan with the abdication of Emperor Akihito today and the ascending to the throne tomorrow of his son, Crown Prince Naruhito. In name, it means the end of the Heisei, or “achieving peace”, era and start of the Reiwa, “beautiful harmony”. Japanese follow the Western calendar and imperial period system, with the latter holding a special place in hearts and minds. In effect, that means a reset in how public and personal memories are identified, but it is also an opportunity for the nation to finally come to terms with its militaristic past.

The emperor has no political role under the pacifist constitution put in place after the second world war, being limited to being “the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people”. Akihito’s father, Hirohito, struggled with that concept, having been an absolute monarch before the Japanese defeat, but having had his power stripped by law, at a loss as to how to explain actions during his reign under which China and other Asian nations were brutally invaded. On his death in 1989, his son made a conscious effort to modernise the monarchy and won over the hearts of Japanese through promoting welfare and social causes. He also took a markedly different line from nationalistic politicians, current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe among them, towards reflecting on the country’s past; although he has never apologised for the war, he took on the role of peace and reconciliation emissary during visits to China, South Korea, the Philippines and elsewhere.

Moves by Abe’s government to amend the constitution to enable Japan to have a fully fledged defence force have understandably worried Asians. Akihito, stepping aside due to poor health, removes an impediment. Some Japanese may also breathe a sigh of relief that the Heisei era has ended; it was marked by economic stagnation caused by the bursting of Japan’s asset price bubble and devastating natural disasters.

The majority of Japanese support pacifism and it is to be hoped Naruhito follows in his father’s footsteps and even goes further. Reiwa does not mean closing a chapter of history; past generations must not be allowed to forget.