the wallstreet journal:
Emperor Akihito Urges His Stricken Nation to Continue On
By MARIKO SANCHANTA And BRAD FRISCHKORN
TOKYO—Japan's rarely seen emperor urged the stricken country not to give up, saying he was "deeply concerned" about the unfolding nuclear crisis. It was an unprecedented video address that underscored the extraordinary events unfolding since Friday and tapped into the nation's tense mood.
Japanese Emperor Akihito made an unprecedented televised address to his disaster-stricken nation, saying he was what he called "deeply worried" by the crisis at a damaged nuclear plant in northern Japan. Video courtesy of Reuters.
Speaking slowly and deliberately, Emperor Akihito, 77 years old, said: "I hope that those affected by the earthquake will not give up hope and will strive to survive, while taking care of their health." The address lasted roughly five minutes, and all major television stations simultaneously broadcast the recorded message at 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The short address came as panic and fear were mounting in Japan over the country's unfolding nuclear crisis. Though the imperial family in Japan is seen by some Japanese—especially the younger generation—as an anachronism, Emperor Akihito is still held in high regard by many, particularly among older Japanese.
"I was greatly moved by the braveness of the survivors who are encouraging themselves in trying to live on through this enormous disaster," the emperor said.
Japan's imperial institution—the world's oldest, with its estimated 1,700-year history—almost got eliminated after World War II, which was fought in the name of Emperor Hirohito. But U.S. occupying forces decided to keep Emperor Hirohito on as a "symbol of the state." Emperor Akihito acceded to the throne in 1989 following the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito.
Many observers were stunned that the emperor gave such an address. "I'm shocked that the emperor actually agreed to do it. This is an extremely rare occurrence, and I'm humbled," said Keiko Matsumoto, 48, a businesswoman. "If the emperor says we need to come together, help each other, and work hard to get over this crisis, then those words mean a lot to me coming from him, and that's what I'll do."
Others said the address resonated with them, in contrast with speeches by politicians and Prime Minister Naoto Kan, which had left them cold. "What Mr. Kan says or politicians say are not convincing at all, and I don't understand what they are saying very much," said Mami Saotome, 23, who works in the financial industry in Tokyo. "When the emperor speaks, I listen to his words."
The imperial family in Japan has gone through its fair share of media scrutiny and hasn't been without its own issues.
Crown Princess Masako, the Harvard-educated former diplomat who became a member of the royal family when she married Crown Prince Naruhito, the son of Emperor Akihito, has suffered an "adjustment disorder" since December 2003, and has yet to fully recover to perform her official duties. The Japanese media have reported that she faced immense pressure to give birth to a boy and to adapting to the rigid, traditional life of the imperial household. Her daughter, Princess Aiko, born in 2001, was in the news last year, over reports that she had been bullied by her elementary-school classmates.
Still, others weren't so impressed.
"I saw the broadcast. I must profess that I have no great love for the emperor," said Tatsuo Horikawa, 77, a retired Tokyo resident. "People of my generation feel a little differently toward the imperial family than, say, their parents, who generally harbor a deeper reverence—or at least respect. But growing up in the aftermath of [World War II], I came to realize that a lot of the hardship we went through was due at least in part to the fact that people in authority—like the emperor—who could have done something to make our lives better, simply didn't."
—Kosaku Narioka contributed to this article.Write to Mariko Sanchanta at mariko.sanchanta@wsj.com and Brad Frischkorn atbradford.frischkorn@dowjones.com
(source: the wallstreet journal)
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