Japan Imperial Family Offers Contemporary Approach to Public Life

The imperial couple traveled to Aichi to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games, held in the Aichi-Nagoya area. During the ceremony, the Emperor formally declared the Games open, while the couple joined spectators in welcoming the participating athletes.

One notable moment came during the entrance of the Japanese delegation. Spectators in the imperial seating area stood, applauded and waved as the Japanese athletes entered the stadium. According to an explanation provided by the prefectural governor, a message had been passed along from the Emperor encouraging those seated nearby to stand and applaud when the Japanese team appeared.

The Emperor then delivered the formal declaration opening the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, drawing applause from the audience.

During their stay, the couple also visited Ghibli Park, located within Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, the former site of the 2005 World Exposition. The park features attractions inspired by the animated works of Studio Ghibli, including exhibits that allow visitors to recreate memorable scenes from its films.

At the park's Becoming Characters in Memorable Ghibli Scenes exhibition, the Emperor and Empress were introduced to a recreation of a famous train scene from the internationally acclaimed animated film Spirited Away. The display features No-Face, one of the film's best-known characters, seated in a setting where visitors can join the scene and take photographs.

Staff explained that the exhibit was among the park's most popular attractions, with visitors frequently lining up to take pictures beside the character.

After hearing that visitors enjoyed sitting next to No-Face for photographs, the Emperor and Empress decided to take part themselves. The Emperor reached into his pocket and took out his own smartphone, asking that it be used to photograph the couple.

The resulting image showed the imperial couple seated beside No-Face, participating in the same experience enjoyed by ordinary visitors to the park.

While the sight of the Emperor carrying a smartphone might seem unremarkable in an era when mobile devices are nearly universal, the moment attracted particular attention because of the circumstances in which he used it.

Senior political figures, including prime ministers and presidents, generally leave their mobile phones with accompanying staff during formal public engagements to avoid interruptions. Members of Japan's Imperial Family have similarly rarely been seen carrying or using personal mobile phones during official appearances.

The Emperor's decision to produce his own phone in front of visitors and staff, rather than simply allowing an attendant to take a photograph using another device, therefore represented an unusual public moment.

The scene also carried broader historical significance, reflecting changes in the relationship between Japan's monarchy and the public across the Showa, Heisei and Reiwa eras.

Before World War II, the Emperor was regarded as a living deity, and the imperial institution occupied a position far removed from ordinary society. Although Emperor Hirohito's postwar declaration rejecting his divine status fundamentally changed the institution's constitutional and symbolic position, the perception of the Imperial Family as a uniquely elevated presence did not disappear immediately.

For generations, the Emperor was viewed as an object of public admiration rather than someone who might openly express enthusiasm for popular entertainers, fictional characters or other cultural icons.

The Ghibli Park visit presented a striking contrast to that tradition. Rather than remaining an observer of an attraction designed for the public, the Emperor chose to participate in an activity that countless visitors had enjoyed before him.

After learning that people liked having their pictures taken with No-Face, the couple joined in, appearing to enjoy the experience and choosing to preserve the memory on their own device.

The significance was not simply that the Emperor possessed a smartphone, but that he openly used it to engage in an everyday activity, demonstrating a willingness to share the same experiences as ordinary members of the public.

The moment also recalled an earlier episode involving the imperial couple and their daughter, Princess Aiko, when the family visited Tokyo Disneyland during Naruhito's time as crown prince.

That outing attracted considerable public attention because it showed the family's desire to allow their daughter to enjoy experiences familiar to other children of her generation.

The visit was widely interpreted as an expression of parental affection, with the couple seeking to provide Aiko with opportunities to enjoy the same attractions and activities as her peers despite the restrictions associated with imperial life.

At the time, discussions about the Imperial House Law also formed part of the broader context surrounding Aiko's upbringing. Under the law, female members of the Imperial Family lose their imperial status upon marrying a commoner, raising the possibility that Aiko would eventually live outside the institution.

Such considerations may have contributed to the couple's efforts to provide their daughter with experiences beyond the formal world of imperial duties.

The Ghibli Park photograph, taken during the couple's visit for the Asian Games, offered a contemporary example of this approach to public life.

By joining visitors in a familiar cultural activity, posing beside a beloved animated character and keeping the resulting photograph on his own smartphone, Emperor Naruhito demonstrated a personal and accessible side of the monarchy that would once have been difficult to imagine.

The episode illustrated how the Imperial Family's public presence has continued to evolve, with ordinary experiences and personal interests increasingly visible alongside its traditional ceremonial responsibilities.

Source: テレ東BIZ