Who are the Former Emperors? Let’s unravel the history of the former imperial family, also known as “the other emperor’s family.

Are you familiar with the former em perors, also known as “the other emperor family? As the number of male members of the Imperial Family with the right to succeed to the throne continues to decline, the former members of the Imperial Family are attracting attention.

The Former Emperors, also known as the Former Imperial Family, refers to former emperors who left the Imperial Family after World War II.

The former emperors, whose possible return to the royal family has been discussed, are the subject of this article, and together we will unravel their history.

An Overview of the Former Emperors

It is difficult to picture the former emperors when they are referred to as former emperors who have renounced the Imperial Family. Here is a more detailed overview.

Often refers to the 51 members of the 11 palace families.

The former imperial family is often referred to as the 51 members of the 11-miya family. In the first place, the Imperial Family was a kind of underworld support for the Imperial Family, created for the purpose of keeping the line of the Imperial Family unbroken.

In the Meiji Era, the government, which was trying to consolidate the Emperor System, added a number of new families to the Imperial Household. Among them were the 11 Imperial Households.

As can be seen from the fact that there are four existing families: the Akishino family, the Hitachinomiya family, the Prince Mikasa family, and the Prince Takamado family, the palace family is now small in size.

This is because after the war, only the Emperor Showa’s brother’s family remained, and 51 members of the other 11 families were to leave the imperial family.

Former emperors who have left the Imperial Family are as follows

• Fushimi-Miya family
• Kanyin Palace
• House of Yamashina
• Kitashirakawa family of princes
• Nashimoto family
• Ninigi no Mikoto (Japanese deity, grandson of Amaterasu)
• Kayo family
• Higashifushimi family
• Takeda family of imperial princes
• Asakoya family
• Prince Higashikuni’s family

Of these, six are still in existence today: the Fushimi, Kuwani, Kayo, Takeda, Asaka, and Higashi Kuwani families.

Also known as the “Fushiminomiya lineage imperial family.”

All of the 11 families of the Imperial Household, which were expanded during the Meiji period, are branch families, and the main family is located in “F ushiminomiya”. Therefore, the 51 members of the 11 families are also called the “Fushimi-no-Miya” imperial family.

The history of the Fushiminomiya family is very long, and is characterized by the fact that it is the oldest of the former imperial families introduced in the previous heading.

It is strongly believed to have been founded in 1456, dating back to the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

Do former emperors have the right to succeed to the throne?

Although they have left the imperial family, the former emperors once had the right to succeed to the thr one. Therefore, it is not surprising that they potentially have the right to succeed to the throne.

In fact, the number of members of the Imperial Family has been decreasing and there are currently only a handful of male members of the Imperial Family with the right to succeed to the throne. To solve this problem, discussions are underway to reinstate former members of the Imperial Family to the Imperial Family.

Nevertheless, the royal family is highly esteemed for its bloodline. The current lineage of the Imperial Family is very thinly related to the former Imperial Family, and direct lineage must go back to the Muromachi period (1336-1573).

Hence, during the earlier discussion, many people raised the issue of this thin blood relationship.

There is also the question of whether, if the right of succession to the throne were to be granted, it would be supported by the people. The Imperial Family is a special entity, different from the people.

As nearly 80 years have already passed since the end of the war, the next generation is being born and fewer and fewer people have the experience of having been members of the royal family in the first place.

Of course, the former emperors are referred to as such, including their descendants, but this may raise concerns about whether they can be recognized as members of the royal family after spending so long as civilians.

Although the former emperors have a potential right of succession to the throne, it is still far from being officially recognized.

Sometimes referred to as “the other emperor’s house.”

The former Imperial Family is sometimes referred to as “the other Imperial Family. Although they have left the Imperial Family, this does not mean that the connection between the former Imperial Family and the Imperial Family has been severed.

The connection with the Imperial Family is maintained in various ways, such as participating in Imperial events and court rituals, and holding Kikuei Fellowship meetings to bring together relatives of the Imperial Family.

Although they have become civilians, the former emperors are in a very special environment where their connection to the Imperial Family continues.

Against this backdrop, and encouraged by the dwindling number of members of the royal family, the family is sometimes referred to as “another emperor’s family.

However, as mentioned above, it is unlikely that the former emperors will ever be truly welcomed into the Emperor’s family or the Imperial Family. Even if they were to be welcomed, it would be some time in the future.

History of the former emperors’ departure from the Imperial Family

We have introduced you to the former emperors, but we have not touched on the most important aspect of their history.

This is a history of the “renunciation of the Imperial Family by the former Emperors.” Why did the former emperors leave the Imperial Family? This section is divided into three sections.

In the wake of the defeat in 1945

Although there were many families before the war, the number was reduced to four in the postwar period. The impetus for this was still the defeat of Japan in 1945.

In 1945, Japan’s acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration by the Allied Powers was handed down by the “Holy Decree” of Emperor Showa.

This was the beginning of the GHQ’s support for Japan, which gradually began to take a scalpel to the imperial family.

The traditional size of the imperial family cannot be maintained.

A direct cause for the Imperial family’s departure from the Imperial family was the drastic instructions given by GHQ to the Imperial family property. It was decided to investigate all the property of the Imperial Family and impose a property tax at a maximum rate of 90%.

This means that most of the royal family’s wealth is now the property of the state, which means that the economic power of the royal family has been greatly reduced.

Before and after the end of the war, the imperial finances amounted to approximately 25 million yen, which was a large portion of the budget. However, the loss of most of its financial resources resulted.

This left the Imperial Family without the financial strength to support the 11 Imperial Households, of which there were many established at the time.

under the provisions of the Imperial Household Law.

In January 1947, the Imperial Household Law was promulgated and went into effect on May 3, 1947, simultaneously with the Constitution of Japan.

This Imperial Household Law stipulates that 51 members of 11 families of the Fushiminomiya lineage, excluding those in the direct line, are to be removed from the imperial family.

At the time, it was believed that there would be no problem in terms of succession to the throne even if the eleven imperial families were to leave the imperial family.

Thus, the 51 members of the 11 Imperial families were formally determined to become former emperors by “voluntary will”.

On October 18 of the same year, after a farewell dinner and other events, each was given a lump sum of money to leave the imperial family. Thus was born the old imperial family.

Former Emperors after leaving the Imperial Family

How did those who left the royal family and became former emperors live afterwards?

Even though they were given a lump sum, it is easy to imagine the many difficulties they faced as they suddenly became civilians.

Here we will look at the life of the former emperors after they left the Imperial Family.

Activities as a private citizen

The transformation of the former imperial family’s lifestyle, described by some as “falling from the clouds,” has a profound effect on them.

The lump sum was also subject to an extraordinary property tax applied at the behest of GHQ, and the lump sum was gone in no time.

Although they had to live as civilians, many former emperors survived by selling their former estates.

Among them, the head of the Higashikuni no Miya family seems to have led a checkered life, having been selected as prime minister after the war, then exiled from public office due to his renunciation of the imperial family’s nationality, and having developed and failed in various businesses.

Still, they lived strong and now live flexibly as civilians. Some go on to college and work in general business, while others, like Tsunenori Takeda, become the president of the Olympics.

From a state of established stability, they are now civilians with many options in terms of lifestyle and occupation, and they are leading their own lives.

Relationship with the Imperial Family

Although the former members of the Imperial Family have become completely accustomed to civilian life, this does not mean that they have lost all connection with the Imperial Family. This is because although they are former emperors, their position as relatives of the Imperial Family has not changed.

He belongs to a fellowship called the “Kikuei Fellowship,” and even today maintains close contact with the Imperial Family.

In the past, some former emperors have been invited to the Imperial Villa, indicating that they have continued to maintain a close relationship.

We must also remember that the former head of the imperial family, regardless of age, must be present during court rituals and events.

In addition, they attend the Emperor’s birthday and New Year’s events. The former Imperial Family ranks after the Imperial Family and thus before the Prime Minister and members of the Diet, who represent the people.

Although they have become civilians, their position is that they have not left the meaning of the term “former imperial family.

Composition of the Former Imperial Family

The former Imperial Family is made up of the following families

• Fushimi-Miya family
• Kanyin Palace
• House of Yamashina
• Kitashirakawa family of princes
• Nashimoto family
• Ninigi no Mikoto (Japanese deity, grandson of Amaterasu)
• Kayo family
• Higashifushimi family
• Takeda family of imperial princes
• Asakoya family
• Prince Higashikuni’s family

Let’s take a look at an overview of three of these palaces : Fushimi Palace, Kanyin Palace, and Yamashina Palace.

Fushimi Shrine (Shinto shrine)

The Fushimi-no-Miya family, as mentioned above, is the oldest of the Imperial Households, being the head family of the 11 Imperial Households and descended from Prince Eihito, the first son of Emperor Sohko of the Nanbokucho Period (1336-1568).

The Fushimi Palace was a family of court nobles who were given the special status of prince-at-law by being adopted sons and nephews of the emperor and the emperor’s superior. They have been instrumental in ensuring that the line of the Emperor’s family would not be cut off.

As a family of hereditary kinsmen, they established their own status as a family of kinsmen and became a palace family that lasted for nearly 600 years.

Kwan-in Palace (in Tokyo)

The Kanyin-no-Miya family is one of the four hereditary imperial families of the Edo period and was founded in the middle of the Edo period. It is said to have been created by Arai Shiraishi’s advice to Tokugawa Ienobu.

Prince Kanenin, the second generation of the Kanyin Palace family, became Emperor Kogaku and reigned for 37 years.

The imperial lineage is linked in a straight line to the current imperial family, and Emperor Koukaku, who was produced from the Kanyin Palace family, is also known as the “founder of the current imperial family”. However, this line has now been severed.

Yamasaki no Aya (the 30th day of the 4th lunar month; one of the five annual festivals)

The Yamashina family was founded in the late Edo period. The late Edo period was a time of great prosperity for the Fushiminomiya line of the imperial family, as Prince Kuniya of the Fushiminomiya family was blessed with many children.

Many of the children of the court family who did not become the prince at that time became temple priests, but seeing the prosperous situation, they returned one after another from priest to layman and were reinstated in the Fushimi Palace family.

One of the families thus established was the Yamashina family, which has now ceased to exist.

To learn more about the royal family

When considering the future of Japan’s Imperial Family, the existence of the former Imperial Family cannot be separated. As the birthrate declines and the population ages, the number of male members of the Imperial Family with the right to succeed to the throne is decreasing.

Including the Emperor and the Joko, there are only five emperors, and the only male member of the Imperial Family who is the next generation of the Emperor is Prince Eugene.

Talk of handing over the right of succession to the throne to a woman was also very active during the Koizumi premiership, but has rarely been addressed today.

Above all, the future of the Imperial Family is on the precipice, with the state reaffirming that only male members of the Imperial Family have the right to succeed to the throne.

Although the former emperors have renounced the Imperial Family, they are still former members of the Imperial Family. There are many young men as the next generation, and discussions are becoming more active that the Imperial Family should be reinstated in order to prevent the Imperial Family from ceasing to exist.

It is not yet clear what will happen in the future, but it will certainly be a major issue for the Imperial Family in the future.

We cover many of these imperial topics on this website. If you are interested, please take a look at our other articles.