The Role of the Imperial Institution in Modern Japanese Politics: Imperial Loyalism as a Vehicle of Social Engineering
Author(s)
Aoki, Michiko Y.
Abstract
From the time of the Taiho Code in 701, the definition of the role and prerogative of the Japanese emperor has not been clearly defined. During the shogunate, the emperor had no political authority, but in the late 19th century, loyalty to the emperor was used as an expression of opposition to the shogunate. After the Meiji Restoration, there was scholarly debate over the role of the emperor. That debate ended with the military coup of 1935 and the triumph of the view that the emperor is divine.
