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Japan grants half a million pardons to mark enthronement of emperor Naruhito
Japan has pardoned more than half a million people found guilty of petty crimes such as traffic violations to mark the formal ascension of Naruhito to the Chrysanthemum throne.
Naruhito proclaimed himself Japan's new emperor and vowed to "stand with the people" after performing a series of ancient rituals on Tuesday that culminated in his appearance on the imperial throne alongside his wife, Empress Masako.
The 59-year-old, who ascended the throne in May following the abdication of his father, Akihito, marked his official enthronement in front of around 2,000 guests, including heads of state and other royals from more than 180 countries.
[...] To mark the occasion on Tuesday, Abe's ultra-conservative government granted pardons to about 550,000 eligible applicants. The decision was not publicly debated.
The pre-war custom of clemency by the emperor, who was revered as a god in those days, has triggered criticism as being undemocratic and politically motivated. At the time of former Akihito's enthronement, 2.5 million people were given amnesty.
Also at CNN, Asahi Shimbun, and Japan Times.
Previously: MonarchyNews: The King is My Co-Pilot and Japanese Succession "Crisis"
Japan Clears Way for Emperor to Step Down in 1st Abdication in 200 Years
Big Tech Warns of 'Japan's Millennium Bug' Ahead of Akihito's Abdication
Japan's Next Era to be Called "Reiwa"
(Score: 3, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday October 23 2019, @01:38AM (5 children)
I think it's a great philosophical statement: "We have a new emperor, that matters more than your parking ticket, it is a new day in the empire and as a demonstration of the emperor's power we are forgiving these petty offences."
One would also assume that if you manage to piss the emperor off, you can expect a heavier than average hand of justice to fall on you.
Or, we could just talk about the royal clothing choices in the tabloids incessantly like the UK does... I think I prefer the Japanese way.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday October 23 2019, @11:53AM (4 children)
It's almost as if they're reading from the same script as this lot were millennia ago: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%201:20-22&version=DARBY
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday October 23 2019, @12:34PM (1 child)
As long as the Emperor keeps his business around the level of parking tickets, and otherwise is fair and just, I think it's all good.
If he strays into adverse eminent domain property seizures without adequate compensation, or baseless imprisonments, well... assassination is a time honored tradition, too.
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(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday October 23 2019, @04:43PM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Bot on Wednesday October 23 2019, @06:00PM (1 child)
The emperor has become obsolete exactly for this reason. You have a clear chain of command. You know whom to point your pitchfork against. Of course, in practice you have to fear the guys between you and the emperor quite a lot more. But, the point I am going to make is: you are probably enslaved by making ends meet, or make enough money because you control enough people making ends meet. So your freedom is limited by your need to make money to pay taxes (often with no presumption of innocence), to cover public debt first and service second, with a bureaucracy that in absence of shakedowns will get even more byzantine. Which is not a problem in itself. The problem arises from the fact that every nation is in debt. So, where are the creditors.
The emperor may come back once technocracy succeeds in rendering most people harmless. There will be no need to hide from them.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 23 2019, @07:31PM
>The problem arises from the fact that every nation is in debt
Not exactly, but good guess.