While noting his father’s devotion to praying for peace, Naruhito said he’ll “reflect deeply” on the path trodden by Akihito and past emperors. From a car window on his way to and from the palace, Naruhito smiled and waved at people cheering on the sidewalk. Wartime militarist governments worshipped the emperor as a living god until Naruhito’s grandfather renounced that status after Japan’s 1945 war defeat. “I hope the new emperor will be like the Heisei Emperor (Akihito), who cherishes peace,” said Takayori Kobayakawa, a 71-year-old retiree who came from Shizuoka, central Japan. Naruhito criticized palace officials in 2004, though subtly, for denying Masako’s personality and career and pushing her into a corner.

Source: National Post May 01, 2019 00:35 UTC