The Japanese royal family is a link to the past, but has found its place in modern Japanese society, writes ambassador Keiichi Hayashi.
The people of Japan were greeted on September 6th by the eagerly awaited news of the birth of a boy to the emperor's second son, Prince Akishino, and to Princess Kiko in Tokyo. On this happy occasion, I would like to offer my sincerest congratulations to the imperial family and take the opportunity to give the readers of The Irish Times my brief overview of their role and their significance in present-day Japan.
Let me explain the significance of the birth of the new prince. The newborn prince is the first son and third child for Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, fourth grandchild for the emperor and empress and the 23rd member of the imperial family.
His sisters are Princess Mako (14) and Princess Kako (11), and his cousin Princess Aiko was the last child born into the imperial family, in 2001.
The baby's name was announced at the official naming ceremony yesterday, seven days after his birth. He is to be called His Imperial Highness Prince Hisahito. The ceremony will be followed by other traditional rites, which may seem unique or even strange to a foreigner's eyes, but in every culture, particularly in cultures with a centuries-old history, the rites to wish a newborn baby well tend to be rich and complex.
The baby is the first male born to the imperial family for 41 years. Under the Imperial House Law of 1947, he is third in line to the throne, after his uncle, Crown Prince Naruhito, and his father. The media tends to focus on the controversy over this tradition of male succession.
Some foreign newspapers even mention a "crisis" in the imperial institution unless this tradition is changed to allow female succession.Certainly there was controversy before this baby was born, but in my view it is only a reflection of the high level of interest and reverence of the people of Japan in this unique existence of the emperor.
A real crisis in other monarchies has taken place when the people find them irrelevant and uninteresting. The fact that Japanese people are so enthralled at the debate on the succession issue and the birth of the new prince is clear evidence that the emperor resides firmly in their hearts and ensures that no such crisis is approaching.
The lineage of the Japanese imperial family can be traced back historically at least 1,500 years, making it the world's oldest hereditary monarchy. Its legendary history goes back much further. For the people of Japan today, the imperial family is a source of pride and a reminder of their country's ancient history.
The emperor and empress and their family symbolise the enduring values of Japanese culture and tradition and occupy a very special place in hearts and minds.
Under the 1947 constitution, the emperor is "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power". He plays no political role, acting rather as a unifying symbol of stability for the people of Japan. He has consistently been a vocal and staunch supporter of peace and friendship with other countries, but he refrains from interfering with politicians.
Although it is not a political one, the role which the emperor and his family play as Japan's first family is vitally important, not to mention a source of endless interest to Japanese people. While intensely interested in their every move, Japanese people also try to keep a respectful and sympathetic distance, a mark of the affection and loyalty they feel.
A glance at the list of their official duties on the Imperial Household Agency's website (www.kunaicho.go.jp/eindex.html) gives a good idea of the active role they play in the life of the nation and their deep sense of responsibility. Whenever there is a natural disaster in Japan - such as the terrible earthquake which struck Kobe and Awaji in 1995 and killed 6,000 people - members are on hand to show their support to the victims.
They rushed to the affected area and visited and comforted thousands of those who suffered.Their concern for the weaker members of society is reflected in their emphasis on visiting facilities for children and the elderly and disabled.
Wherever they go, there is a large crowd of people hoping to catch a glimpse of them, take a photograph to remember them by or maybe even have the chance to speak to them.
Everyone who has had such a chance marvels at and is enchanted by their engaging attitude.
In addition to their visits to all the prefectures of Japan, the emperor and empress host countless events at the Imperial Palace - audiences, ceremonies, teas, lunches and dinners - giving as many people as possible the opportunity to meet them and show their respect for the institution of the imperial family.
Some readers may remember the visit to Ireland by the emperor and empress last year - their second. Perhaps partly due to the fact that the empress was taught by Irish nuns in her earlier years in her school, her attachment to and understanding of Irish literature is truly outstanding.
Their visits to more than 50 countries have always had a profound and memorable impact on the furtherance of Japan's friendly relation with these countries.
For Japanese people, the family symbolises enduring cultural and traditional values - values which can sometimes be forgotten in the hectic rush of life in modern-day Japan.
They compose traditional poems, for instance, maintaining a literary tradition dating back more than a thousand years, and host a traditional new year poetry reading at the Imperial Palace every January.The grounds of the palace even have a paddy field where the emperor performs a symbolic rice-planting ceremony every spring and then later harvests the crop, a reminder of the vital importance of rice over the centuries as Japan's staple food.
Furthermore, the empress annually engages herself in sericulture, tending silkworms until they make their cocoons, the silk of which is used for repairing ancient textiles in the Shosoin repository in the nation's eighth-century capital Nara.
The happy news of the birth of the latest member of the imperial family coincides with the continuing recovery of the Japanese economy which has seen healthy growth rates well over the last 50 months and more, and which I feel sure will be strengthened even further by the country's mood of optimism and hope for the future inspired by this trend.
I hope that this brief profile has provided an insight into the lives led by the members of the imperial family and the closeness of their relationship with the people of Japan, and may also dispel some misunderstandings about an institution which has found its place in modern Japanese society, while maintaining its unbroken links with the past.
Keiichi Hayashi is the Japanese ambassador to Ireland