This archive report was first published on 20 October 2019.
Japan's government is set to spend millions of dollars on two high-profile ceremonies for Emperor Naruhito, but critics argue that the events are effectively religious rites and that public funding for them violates the country's constitution.
The Daijosai thanksgiving ritual, which Emperor Naruhito will perform in November, has been criticized by the United Church of Christ in Japan, a leading Protestant group, as 'nothing more than a Shinto ceremony.'
The church's statement, issued earlier this year, also argued that public funding for the ceremonies 'violates the principle of separating politics from religion... and infringes on freedom of belief.'
The issue touches on Japan's sensitive history, particularly the role of the emperor during World War II. Under Japan's wartime constitution, the emperor was considered 'sacred and inviolable' and was invoked as a motivating force for Japanese troops on battlefields across Asia.
After Japan's defeat, the US-led allied forces stripped the emperor of political power, enshrining his limited role as a state symbol in the newly written constitution. The constitution also stipulates that 'the state... shall refrain from religious education or any other religious activity.'
300 Plaintiffs File Suits ¶
More than 300 plaintiffs, including Buddhist monks and university professors, have filed suits against the government's plan to fund the ceremonies. They argue that the government is promoting a state religion by financing the events.
'The government funding these religious events means that the emperor epitomises Japan's religion and culture, and that the government is promoting a state religion,' said Koichi Shin, one of the plaintiffs.
The issue has come up before, with lawsuits also filed over the enthronement of former emperor Akihito and ceremonies related to the death of his father Hirohito in 1989. However, the cases were mostly dismissed.
Government Defends Funding ¶
The government has defended its decision to fund the ceremonies, arguing that they are 'public events' and therefore eligible for funding. The spending will not be insignificant, with the price tag for all the enthronement-related ceremonies running to 16 billion yen ($147.2 million).
Several lawsuits against the spending are working their way through the courts, but none stand much chance. A hearing on an urgent injunction isn't even scheduled until after the Daijosai event.
