The 126th Ten'noh, who has been frequently translated into "Emperor", proclaimed his enthronement globally today. Lots of people were invited to the ceremony. Precisely saying, 1999 people were in attendance including overseas dignitaries from 191 countries and organizations. Counting only kings, there were nine kings from Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Tonga. Keenly being interested worldwide, CNN broadcast the ceremony live and several international news agencies reported promptly. There would be no other domestic occasions that collect such dignitaries and celebrities, and attracts interest from all over the world.
It would be due to the positioning of Ten'noh which is listed as the emperor class, i.e. higher than that of kings in addition to the efforts of the Japanese Royal Household to build friendly relationships with lots of counties in the world. It was the enthronement of the single emperor of the world that we watched today.
However, FYI, "Emperor" means having absolute power, just like the emperors of the Roman Empire and Chinese Dynasties, whose nature is completely and totally different from that of Ten'noh. I'm thankful that Ten'noh is highly and globally evaluated, but we Japanese should spread the essential qualities of Ten'noh, saying "Ten'noh" is "Ten'noh", not "Emperor". I raised national flags at the entrance and the living room in my house.
１０月２２日、即位礼正殿の儀が開かれ、参列者は1999人、海外からも１９１カ国・機関の元首・首脳級が参加した。国王だけでも、オランダ・ウィレム・アレクサンダー国王夫妻、ベルギー・フィリップ国王夫妻、スウェーデン・カール１６世グスタフ国王、スペイン・フェリペ６世国王夫妻、ブータン・ワンチュク国王夫妻、ブルネイ・ボルキア国王、カンボジア・ノロドム・シハモニ国王、マレーシア・アブドラ第１６代国王夫妻、トンガ・ツポウ６世国王夫妻が参列。
国際的な関心も高く、アメリカのＣＮＮは儀式の模様を中継し、海外の通信社も次々と速報を発した。およそ、一国内の儀式でこれほど多くの元首・首脳級が集まり、国際的にも関心を集めるものはないのではないか。
これも戦後日本が世界各国と友好関係を築いてきた事に加えて、日本の天皇が国際社会で唯一のエンペラー(皇帝)級、すなわちキング(国王)よりも格式が高いと位置づけられている事も一因だろう。我々が目の当たりにしたのは、世界一古い国の、世界で唯一のエンペラーの即位式なのであろう。
もっとも、エンペラーとはローマ帝国や中華帝国の皇帝という「権力者」であり、その本質は天皇とはまるで違う。国際社会が高く評価してくれるのは良いが、天皇の本質の理解をもっと広める必要がある。そのためにも、まずは国民の間での理解を深めることが必要だろう。
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