久久亚洲国产成人影院-久久亚洲国产的中文-久久亚洲国产高清-久久亚洲国产精品-亚洲图片偷拍自拍-亚洲图色视频

US EUROPE AFRICA ASIA 中文
Opinion / Op-Ed Contributors

A big blow to Abe's revisionist designs

By LIU QINGBIN (China Daily) Updated: 2016-08-13 10:37

A big blow to Abe's revisionist designs

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko wave to well-wishers who gathered to celebrate the monarch's 79th birthday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Dec 23, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

In a rare televised speech on Monday, Japan's 82-year-old Emperor Akihito hinted his wish to abdicate because his declining health is preventing him from fulfilling all his duties. Last month NHK, Japan's national public broadcasting organization, reported that Akihito, who is suffering from prostate cancer and heart problems, wanted to step down in a few years.

Although Akihito stopped short of saying that he wished to abdicate, the very possibility of his unprecedented abdication has sparked a heated debate on the future of Japan's 2,600-year-old royal family, one of the world's oldest.

Chinese observers' opinions on Akihito's 10-minute speech are divided. Many argue the emperor's hint at abdication is aimed at thwarting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's attempts to amend Japan's pacifist Constitution. Japan's royal family, especially the emperor and his eldest son, 56-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito, have constantly urged Japanese people and politicians to respect the Constitution and reflect upon the country's wartime history.

Some, on the other hand, tend to play up the conflict between Naruhito and his younger brother Akishino over the throne. Naruhito is most likely to succeed Akihito, but the crown prince's only child Princess Aiko cannot follow him to the throne under Japan's male-only succession laws. His brother, however, has a son.

Although Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party enjoy a more than two-thirds majority, along with their coalition partners, in the upper house and are bent on amending the Constitution to make Japan "a normal state", it is unlikely that they pressured the emperor to hint at retirement in order to expedite the constitutional amendment.

Rather, Akihito's message could be a complaint against the government ignoring for a long time his request to retire because of his inability to fulfill the ceremonial duties, and a suggestion to allow princesses and their children to inherit the throne.

In his Monday address, Akihito emphasized his role as the "symbol of the state", signaling his opposition to elevation of the emperor as head of state, which the Abe administration suggested in its new constitutional draft. Perhaps Akihito wants to change the monarchy into a profession that allows retirement to deal a blow to Japan's burgeoning militarism.

The vast majority of Japanese people is reportedly sympathetic toward the emperor because of his difficult schedule and supports his desire to retire. But for that to happen, Japan's parliament needs to revise the 1947 Imperial House Law, as the Constitution does not support abdication by a reigning emperor.

As much as some Japanese right-wingers want to abolish the emperor's ceremonial role, which remains the crux of Shinto religion and hence deterrent to their efforts to "soften" the Constitution, Akihito seems to have thrown a spanner in their works by hinting his wish to abdicate.

In fact, Akihito's speech could tie legislators in knots, involve considerable political resources and manpower, and prevent any such constitutional backsliding, because of the absence of any legal precedent. And a new clause or revision allowing a reigning emperor to retire could create huge rifts among legislators before it comes into effect.

That explains why some rightists called Akihito's intention to retire a constitutional "violation". In his address commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II last year, the emperor expressed "deep remorse" over Japan's atrocities before and during the war. He made similar remarks during his 1992 visit to China, the first and only one by a Japanese emperor.

Even if his abdication is eventually approved, Akihito could still help the new emperor perform his duties in a display of unity in the royal family. But even without it, Japan's ceremonial monarchy can defend the Constitution from ill-intentioned right-wing revisionists.

The author is an associate professor at University of International Business and Economics.

Most Viewed Today's Top News
The unique loanwords in our daily life By zoe_ting

In our daily life, more and more loanwords appear and change our habits in Chinese expression. Loanwords sound very similar with their original English words, and the process of learning them is full of fun to foreign students.

Going "home" for the first time in four years By SharkMinnow

It has been a while since I've contributed to this Forum and I figured that since now I am officially on summer holiday and another school year is behind me I would share a post with you.

...
主站蜘蛛池模板: 特级毛片aaaa级毛片免费 | 日本亚洲欧美高清专区vr专区 | 亚洲国产剧情在线精品视 | 伊人久久大香线焦综合四虎 | 欧美亚洲国产视频 | 色天天躁夜夜躁天干天干 | 亚洲一级片免费看 | 手机看片久久国产免费不卡 | 国产一级毛片国语版 | 成年人看的黄色片 | 7m视频精品凹凸在线播放 | 亚洲国产精品国产自在在线 | 久草在线青青草 | 日韩中文字幕精品一区在线 | 中文字幕在线不卡 | α片毛片| 视频一区色眯眯视频在线 | 久久性生大片免费观看性 | 久久毛片视频 | 亚洲欧美精品国产一区色综合 | 欧美性视频xxxxxxxx | 国产人成亚洲第一网站在线播放 | 欧美va在线播放免费观看 | 久久综合久久精品 | 99久久精品免费观看区一 | 欧美三级在线视频 | 欧美三级在线看 | 91精品成人免费国产片 | 正在播放国产大学生情侣 | 男人都懂的网址在线看片 | 国产视频网站在线观看 | 欧美zoofilia杂交videos | 亚洲欧美视频网站 | 国产成人精品视频在放 | 亚洲成人免费 | 久久精品免费i 国产 | 全部免费的毛片在线看美国 | 欧美精品久久 | 欧美又粗又硬又大久久久 | 1024国产欧美日韩精品 | 国产成人在线视频播放 |