"Sentaro Matoi" in ‘Tatsumi Engeki Box’ at Kobe Shinkaichi Gekijo, June 9

Why did Sentaro, the only son of a large store owner, choose to become a firefighter instead of inheriting the family business? There were unique circumstances in Edo at that time.

In Edo, it was said, 'Fire and fights are the flowers of Edo.' In the densely populated streets of Edo, with houses tightly packed together, fires were frequent. Scenes of water buckets placed at street corners for firefighting might be familiar to those who have seen movies or kabuki plays. For the townspeople of Edo, fires were a fearsome disaster. That's why they admired and longed to emulate the brave firefighters who stood up to fires. The spirit of the firefighters was praised as the 'flower' of Edo by the townspeople.

At first, the exclusive group of firefighters consisted only of the 'Daimyo Hikeshi' who protected the feudal lords, and the 'Teika-keshi' who protected the samurai residences. Later, the system of 'Machi Hikeshi,' the exclusive firefighters of the townspeople, was established. Eventually, they became the central force in firefighting activities. Ultimately, to the west of the Sumida River, there were the 'Iroha 48 Groups,' and to the east of the Sumida River, the 'North-South-Central 16 Groups.'

The symbol used by the Machi Hikeshi as the mark of their group was the 'matoi.' Carrying the matoi was the leader of the group, the hanagata, and it was their pride and symbol of honor. Young Sentaro witnessed the firefighters wielding the matoi while engaging in firefighting activities. The impact of that moment became the driving force for him to become a firefighter, even leaving his home for it.

The scene begins with a young Sentaro witnessing the firefighters. Suddenly, the background changes, and the adult Sentaro (Daiya), dressed as a firefighter with a matoi, swaps places with the young Sentaro.

The grown-up Sentaro, now serving as the matoi bearer under Oyakata (Tatsumi), the head of the firefighters, found himself confronted by the head clerk of Yamato-ya (Koryu). The head clerk attempted to persuade Sentaro to return to his family home by fabricating a story about Sentaro's father being seriously ill and desiring to see him. Despite his efforts to convince the head firefighter, Sentaro remained steadfast and refused to comply. Although he momentarily considered returning home, Sentaro ultimately decided against it after hearing a firefighter's testimony about his father being in good health. At that moment, Oyakata's daughter, Omiyo (Mitsuki), arrived and revealed that she was carrying Sentaro's child. Reluctantly, Oyakata accepted their relationship, allowing Sentaro to remain with the firefighters' group.

The head clerk proposed a compromise: to adopt Sentaro and Omio's child as an adopted child of Yamato-ya, thereby compensating for Sentaro's unfilial conduct. Fearing the spread of rumors that Yamato-ya forcibly took away their grandchild from the firefighter's family, the head clerk suggested abandoning the child in front of Yamato-ya's shop, labeling them as a 'foundling.'

Before long, a baby boy was born to Sentaro and Omio. True to their agreement, they placed the infant in front of the Yamato-ya shop. The interaction between Daiya and Mitsuki in this scene is heart-wrenching. The sorrow of letting go of their own child is palpable, especially in Mitsuki's performance as she expresses her grief. Daiya's portrayal of trying to suppress his own sadness and encourage his wife to let go of their child is also remarkable.

Eventually, the head clerk, who had been sleeping inside the shop entrance on a futon as a night watchman, picked up the child. Upon hearing the noise, Sentaro's parents came out and understood the situation. They promised the child would be well taken care of to Sentaro and his wife, who had been watching everything from the shadows.

Seven years passed. Sentaro lost an eye in a fire incident. Under pressure from the firefighting association, Oyakata persuaded Sentaro to step down from his position as the matoi bearer. Sentaro agonized over this decision. Omiyo arrived, and they mourned together. Suddenly, the sound of a half bell rang out. Omio went to retrieve the matoi. She helps Sentaro, now with one eye, and together they headed towards the fire scene.

Oyakata noticed the absence of the matoi and realized that Sentaro had taken it to the fire scene. He hurried to the scene with other members of the group. There, they saw Sentaro standing on the roof holding the matoi. Omiyo climbed up to be by his side. The two stood on the roof together. As the half bell stoped ringing, Sentaro realized that they had prevented the fire from spreading to Yamato-ya. Exhausted, Sentaro sat down, supported by Omio.

Before the two who had descended from the roof, the Yamato-ya couple (Sentaro's parents) appeared to express their gratitude for preventing the fire from spreading. Their adopted child was with them as well. Seeing their child, Omio instinctively reached out to the child, but Sentaro stopped her by shaking her hands. This scenewas tear-inducing. It was truly remarkable. It surpassed both kabuki and small theater performances! There's a feeling of having witnessed something extraordinary.

I don't think I can go back to kabuki anymore. There's a theater group that can perform this well in popular theater. It's amazing! The talented ensemble at Tatsumi Engeki BOX! I'm so impressed. Tatsumi Engeki BOX has surpassed kabuki! Let's maintain the pride unique to popular theater and stay eternal!

 

The following is “Tatsumi delivering a prologue in the role of Oyakata.”

 

Meiji Ichidai Onna (明治一代女) in “Tatsumi Engeki Box” (たつみ演劇BOX) at Kobe Shinkaichi Theater (æ–°é–‹åœ°åŠ‡å ´ï¼‰on June 7, 2024

I've watched this play a few times with this theater group (Tatsumi Engeki Box) and have written articles about it. Today, the cast for the second performance was almost the same as the first. In this play, there is a change of roles between the matinee and evening performances. During the matinee, Tatsumi-san plays both Minokichi and Senshi, while Daiya-san plays Hidekichi. However, in the evening, they switch roles. This morning, I had a dentist appointment and ended up being about 15 minutes late, so when I entered the theater, it was during the scene where Hidekichi confronts Oume.

After that, there are scenes where Hidekichi mocks Oume in front of a full house, and then after all the audience leaves, there is a literal "showdown" between the two. What was a bit funny this time was Daiya-san's line when Oume grabs the hem of Hidelochi's kimono tightly: "Stop it, I borrowed this (kimono) from Niichan (my brother)."

Ryuko-san's performance as Oume's mother stood out. Yesterday in "Meian Ichidai Onna," she delivered a passionate performance by suppressing her motherly emotions. Today, even as she stands behind her daughter, who works in the flower and willow world, her subtle portrayal of a worried mother was outstanding.

Also, in both the original work by Kawaguchi Matsutaro and in the film adaptation, one of the reasons Oume becomes a geisha is to provide her younger brother with a good education. I felt it would have been better if this aspect had been made clearer. However, I understand it's challenging within the constraints of time. The actor who played the brother (I'm sorry I don't remember the name), but she gave a passionate performance, so it was a shame. I would have liked to see the cast change for the evening performance as well, but lately, I don't have the energy to attend both matinee and evening shows. It's unfortunate.

 

＜Grand-show photos>

As usual, they are blurry. Even so, I hope I can give the general idea of the dances. If there is any mistake in song titles, please forgive me.

Tatsumi with Daiya 「恋しそうろう」

On the second sheet, behind, there's Ai Ueo-san, whose wig is being taken off by Daiya-san.

Raito 「くのいちもんめ＞

Daiya 「夏恋囃子」

 

Mu-cho   「んだ」

Tastumi 「宇治川哀歌」

Raito 「えいさ」

 

Daiya　「無法松の一生」

Koryu「天命燃ゆ」

 

Daiya with Koryu　「恋姿一代女」

Tatsumi　「転がる石」

 

Last Dance, "Shin-sen Gumi" 新選組 all wearing  Happis with the character 'Makoto' dyed on the back.

 

The Thames And I: A Memoir Of Two Years At Oxford by Prince Naruhito

After finishing the book, my impression was how truly exceptional His Majesty is as a scholar. It became clear to me that the foundation of his excellence was precisely this study abroad experience in England.

During this study abroad experience, His Majesty discovered his lifelong research theme, "the history of transportation on the Thames River." The process of how he arrived at this theme comes across with a strong sense of presence to the reader. The excitement and exhilaration that His Majesty felt at that time also come across directly. His Majesty was directly guided by excellent scholars, including his tutor, on the know-how of research. He humbly accepted their guidance, digested and understood it, and then explored his own unique form of research. My personal impression is that it was "very regrettable" because if he had continued his academic career, there is no doubt that he would have become a world-renowned expert in the history of water transportation.

It was impressive to see how well-rounded His Majesty was, with a deep understanding and appreciation for both classical music and sports. His passion for classical music went beyond just being a fan, as he had a professional-level ability to analyze and interpret music. He even formed a chamber music group and performed with them. As for sports, he was involved in a variety of activities, including tennis, squash, boating, and mountain climbing. What further impressed me was that in both music and sports, His Majesty was not just a recipient, but always acted as a sender. In other words, he was very aggressive in his activities.

His Majesty has stated his intention for the reprint of this book as to contribute to encouraging young people who are considering studying abroad and also to support them in their decision-making. His Majesty's thoughts were not expressed in the "Afterword" of the first edition (Gakushuin-kyoyo Bunko, 1993). This is probably because after 20 years, the social situation, especially the development of the internet, has changed the academic life in universities and graduate schools. Additionally, His Majesty himself became a parent and felt the need to convey a message from the parent generation to the younger generation. It is a very characteristic thought of His Majesty to always consider "being close to the people."

The first two chapters detail how the author spent approximately three months from his arrival in London in June to the start of the new term at Oxford graduate school on October 4th. As someone who has been an English teacher at the university level for many years, I found this account to be very interesting.

During most of those three months, Naruhito stayed with a host family in order to experience the daily life and way of thinking of a British household, which is different from that of Japan, and to study English. The latter involved receiving four hours of daily language instruction from a professional educator at the host family's home.

The teaching materials used included BBC radio and television news. Using these materials, the author was expected to develop his listening, reading, and speaking skills, and eventually to synthesize them into written compositions. I was impressed by the highly effective structure of English lessons, which aimed to develop analytical skills necessary for thinking, presenting, and writing academic papers in English.

As an extracurricular activity, Naruhito was also tasked with exploring the surrounding area and writing compositions about his experiences. One of these compositions included a walk along the Thames River, which could be said to have sparked His Majesty's later research interest in the river.

Living with a host family and taking English lessons as described can be seen as a blueprint for the author's graduate student life at Oxford. By experiencing this kind of life beforehand, Naruhito may have aimed to acclimate more quickly to the academic and social aspects of graduate school.Indeed, His Majesty's experiences can undoubtedly be helpful for those who are considering studying abroad in the future.

The most exciting part of the book for me was chapters 5, 6, and 7, and I ended up putting a mountain of sticky notes on those pages. As I mentioned at the beginning, this part of the book describes, but some aspects of His Majesty's experience as a graduate student at Oxford University overlap with my own graduate school experience at the University of Pennsylvania. I felt that much of the graduate school system was modeled after British universities. Although it has probably changed quite a bit in recent years, the approach and methods of research did not seem all that different. We were required to read a lot of papers, often as much as 100 pages per week for a single class. While the tutor system is not adopted in the United States, the TA (Teaching Assistant) system is in place as a substitute.

The book also vividly depicts the process by which His Majesty gradually "awakened" as a researcher, which was particularly interesting. It was impressive to read about how, as a high school student, he found a sign for the "Oshu Kaido" (an old highway) within the Akasaka Imperial Estate, which led to his interest in the highways and lodging stations of the early modern period. This interest became the germ that later connected to his research on the water transportation history of the Thames River in Oxford.

What was even more impressive was the close relationship between His Majesty and his supervisor, Professor Matthias, and his tutor, Dr. Highfield. It was clear that both professors were highly accomplished in their respective fields and provided valuable guidance to His Majesty. At the same time, it was evident that His Majesty was receptive to their guidance and was able to deepen his research under their supervision. Yes, it was truly wonderful to see how His Majesty approached his research with such enthusiasm and excitement.

Socializing during graduate school is essential, and His Majesty participated as an ordinary young person. In reality, this socialization is one of the most challenging aspects of studying abroad (in my personal opinion). Effective communication between individuals with different cultural backgrounds is primarily dependent on language. Additionally, if the levels of education and intellectual sophistication are not aligned, the conversation cannot progress. Looking at the graduate students in the photos with His Majesty, it is clear at a glance that they are highly educated individuals (compared to the sometimes immature Japanese university and graduate students). His Majesty fits in naturally with these colleagues and does not seem out of place at all with these future scholars. It is heartbreaking to think about how much His Majesty did not want to return to Japan.

I once visited Oxford a long time ago. At the time, I joined a walking tour, which included a visit to the Bodleian Library that His Majesty often mentions in the book. I remember buying several books from Blackwell's Bookshop during the tour. Afterwards, I participated in a six-week literary study program in the UK organized by the University of North Carolina (probably several years after His Majesty’s going back to Japan), which happened to be held at Queen's College, Cambridge University. Since the university systems at Oxford and Cambridge are almost the same, I can imagine that living in the university dormitories can be quite "harsh" and very Spartan-like. That is why I am impressed with His Majesty's ability to endure such a Spartan lifestyle.

 

The humble and composed nature of His Majesty is evident throughout this book, reaffirming the fact that Emperor Naruhito is a remarkable leader. I pray that this world continues on and that Princess Aiko succeeds as the next Empress.

Will Hisahito's "slash-and-burn agriculture essay" be used as a loophole to get into the University of Tokyo?

The Yahoo website that reported the news "Prince and Princess Akishino and Prince Hisahito traveled to Kumamoto" is as follows.

news.yahoo.co.jp

Many doubts and criticisms have been raised on the internet about this since its announcement. One such blog is as follows.

shufu-eyes.com

This blog post introduces Mr. Shinohara's YouTube video, which carefully follows the suspicions surrounding this trip that are mentioned in the video. The URL for Mr. Shinohara's YouTube video is as follows: "Examining Hisahito's Kumamoto trip: The numerous contradictions that arise."

www.youtube.com

Mr. Joichiro Shinohara previously worked on the "Cancellation of the Itsuki Village Kawabe River Dam Construction" issue and has a track record of successfully pushing for the cancellation of the dam construction, so he has a deep connection with Itsuki Village and is well-informed about its current situation. Based on this knowledge, it is speculated that Prince Hisahito has not visited Itsuki Village.

There are several reasons why Mr. Shinohara is presenting this information.

• There are no videos, photos, or any other evidence that Prince Hisahito visited Itsuki Village.
• The residence of the elderly woman in her 90s who claimed to have spoken with him is located in an area with very poor road conditions and is not a place where he could have been taken.
• According to separate information, it is said that it rained on April 4th, the day when Prince Hisahito and his parents were supposed to have gone to Kumamoto. It is also reported that Itsuki Village was experiencing a power outage at that time.

Based on all of these contradictions, it can be concluded with a high degree of certainty that Prince and Princess Akishino, as well as Prince Hisahito, did not go on a trip to Kumamoto on April 4th.

Here, we can see the familiar backdoor entrance scenario that the Akishino family is known for. It goes something like this: First, spread information that Hisahito went on a trip to observe slash-and-burn agriculture. Then, have a ghostwriter write an essay about the "slash-and-burn trip," submit it to some contest and have it win a prize, and finally, use the "award" to gain a recommendation and get into the University of Tokyo. This scenario is the second part of the plan that allowed Hisahito to enter the Tsukuba University-affiliated high school.

Recently, there have been doubts raised on the internet about whether Prince Hisahito actually went to Ogasawara. Many people have been investigating this issue. The fact that the falsehood of the "slash-and-burn trip" has been exposed through investigation as described above raises the question of whether the same kind of deception was behind the Ogasawara trip and the essay. It is natural to suspect that there may have been a similar conspiracy behind the "slash-and-burn trip". However, it is difficult to understand why anyone would lend hands to such a scheme, and whether they have any academic integrity as scholars.

According to Mr. Shinohara, there were two people involved in this plan. They were Kazunobu Ikeya and Yu Terashima.

According to Mr. Shinohara, these researchers were conducting investigations in Itsuki village just before April 4th, when it was said that Prince Hisahito visited there. Furthermore, Mr. Ikeya was the one who organized the impromptu trip to Bhutan for Prince Akishino, his wife, and Hisahito. It is an all too transparent scheme that leaves one speechless.

What sets this incident apart from the one in Ogasawara is that the scenario was exposed beforehand. Firstly, why was it suddenly announced that Hisahito was "interested in slash-and-burn agriculture"? It is inconceivable that Hisahito, who is thought to have intellectual issues, would be interested in academic pursuits. Therefore, it is likely that such a scheme emerged using pseudo-scholars surrounding Prince Akishino.

What's different from the Ogasawara incident is that we, the netizens, have already anticipated the "get into Tokyo University with a slash-and-burn agriculture essay" scheme. The scheme has been exposed. Even if they still go through with it, criticism will inevitably extend not only to Kiko and Hisahito but also to the researchers who aided them.

 

No More Deception - The Truth about former Empress Michiko and Prince Akishino’s Extravagance, Confusion, and the Conspiracy [originally posted on July 3, 2019 in Japanese]

The numerous worngdoings of so-called "Heisei Imperial Quartet" (former Empress Michiko, former Emper Akihito, Prince Akishino, and Princess Akishino) have been coming to light in the past few months through the internet.

 

Empress Michiko, monopolizing and directing "Imperial Family's foreign trips" (which can hardly be called diplomatic)

The recent unauthorized foreign trip by the Akishino couple cannot be considered an official duty, as they were not invited. They should disclose and make clear the breakdown of the expenses, as it is funded by our taxes. Despite the daily articles on Yahoo about their visit to Poland and Finland, a huge number of critical comments are posted every time. This is only natural.

The press conference held by the Akishino couple before their foreign trip was laughable, with the level of their responses resembling that of elementary school students. It was evident that they had not thoroughly researched the history, political situation, and culture of the countries they would visit. It was clear that such people could never successfully foster friendly relations with the countries they were visiting. They lack intelligence and education and have never made an effort to study.

They have always relied on shortcuts and deception in their lives. It is severely damaging to national interests for people like them to represent Japan on the world stage. They have always treated foreign trips (which are just sightseeing tours) as easy "official duties". People who have never taken an interest in their pseudo-official duties are beginning to speak out about how absurd they all are. Angry voices are rising, saying, "Do they think they can treat the citizens of this country like fools?"

During the foreign trip, there were expenses for multiple outfit changes by Princess Kiko, security costs, and event costs for events hosted by the foreign country, as they were not invited. Of course, there were also first-class flight costs for travel to and from the destination and throughout the trip. How much did all of this cost? Was it tens of millions of yen or even 100 million yen? They should provide a report on the breakdown of expenses and the effectiveness of the goodwill efforts. Even if they have to force the Imperial Household Agency staff to submit the report, they have a duty to disclose the expense details, Akishino couple, as it is funded by taxpayers. The Imperial Household Agency should also make the breakdown of expenses public.

It is said that Empress Michiko was the one who allocated these imperial family foreign trips. She imprisoned and prevented Princess Masako, who had been active as a brilliant diplomat, from going abroad, and even drove her to illness. Was it an ugly jealousy towards Princess Masako, who surpassed her in language skills, education, intelligence, and even physical beauty? In the Reiwa era, when Empress Masako, who had a background as a former diplomat, excels in imperial diplomacy, and her achievements have been reported, many citizens are starting to realize who was behind the bashing of Princess Masako.

If the Imperial Family is truly committed to imperial diplomacy, it should be led by Princess Masako, who excels in language skills and education, is friendly with many foreign royal families, Princess Hisako of Takamado, who obtained a doctorate from the University of Oxford's Merton College. Sending the Akishino couple, who lack language skills and education, is damaging to Japan's national interests. They have reportedly visited 41 countries so far. How much shame have they brought upon us? It's all so meaningless.

The reality of the pseudo "official duties" that Michiko excessively increased turned out to be fashion shows

Then, what are the "official duties" of the Imperial Family?

The "official duties" of the Imperial Family are limited to "acts of state" and "ceremonial acts" under the Constitution. Acts of state include attending national events, hosting state guests, and attending the presentation of credentials by ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary. Ceremonial acts refer to participating in court ceremonies such as the Ceremony of the Accession to the Throne and the Great Thanksgiving Ceremony, as well as national ceremonial acts. The Emperor and members of the Imperial Family are primarily expected to perform these official duties.

The "official duties" that do not fall under these categories and have significantly increased since the Heisei era

The reason why this is problematic is that these pseudo-official duties lack transparency and accountability, and taxpayers' money may be used to cover expenses for these activities. Additionally, some of these duties may overlap with the work of government officials or violate diplomatic protocols, causing confusion and potential damage to Japan's international reputation.

The focus should be on the fact that these activities were not legitimate official duties, but rather they were simply "sightseeing tours" that Michiko used to create a Hollywood-like image of herself. This is problematic because it undermines the Imperial Family's credibility as genuine symbols of national unity and stability, which could potentially harm Japan's international reputation.

Michiko the attacked Princess Masako for not participating in these pseudo-official duties

Furthermore, Michiko attacked Princess Masako for not participating in these pseudo-official duties. Women's weekly magazines that were acting as Michiko's stooges led the attacks, which continued persistently. As a result, Princess Masako developed "adjustment disorder."

Were the "official duties" that Michiko excessively engaged in really necessary? And were they even duties that an Empress should be performing in the first place?

Naruhito (fomer Crown Princ

e) has stated that he will not engage in activities that involve payment. Therefore, it can be speculated who is responsible for introducing the new "official duties" that did not exist before in the Heisei era, many of which involved payment. It is said that the Akishino family is in charge of handling these duties. This is where the collusion begins. Other members of the Imperial Family do not engage in such despicable practices. Even without payment, the Akishino family receives 120 million yen in "Imperial Family expenses" from our taxes. How greedy can they be?

Under the guise of assigning the excessive "official duties" that she herself created, Michiko is plotting to establish a female branch of the Imperial Family for Princesses Mako and Kako

If we read between the lines of the "Komuro Incident," can we see a conspiracy to create a female branch of the Imperial Family? Through the Komuro Incident, we have come to realize that there is a dark side to the heartwarming stories about the former Emperor and Empress that have been reported one after another on the internet. In addition, there are their unprecedented secret outings with new outfits, security, and media coverage before their abdication. Even those who are dull (or simply uninterested) are starting to notice the incredible amount of tax money being spent on these activities and thinking "something's not right here." I myself am also one of those people.

In the first place, it was the former Emperor and Empress who approved the engagement of Princess Mako and Kei Komuro. The fact that they have not yet revoked the approval, even though the Komuro family's scandal has come to light and they have the opportunity to do so, suggests that there is a conspiracy behind this. The plan is to establish a female branch of the Imperial Family for the two daughters of the Akishino family, with Prince Kei Komuro included in it. Therefore, what we can deduce from the Akishino couple's press conference is that they and the former Emperor and Empress are buying time until the establishment of the female branch of the Imperial Family. It is highly unlikely that they are seriously considering breaking off the engagement with Komuro [Now, it has been proven that this speculation was correct, as evidenced by the marriage of Kei Komuro and Princess Mako and its subsequent developments.

There are still people who are making a fuss about the strangeness of Kaoru Komiya and his mother. Of course, they are a problem, but a bigger problem is that the former Emperor and Empress, who are secretly wielding their influence, are still determined to create a female branch of the Imperial Family for their granddaughters by any means necessary. Information has leaked from the internet that the eldest son they "produced" has serious problems that go against human ethics [Mr. Shinohara reported recently that one of the close associates of the Crown Prince Akishino mentioned that he heard that the Crown Prince himself had explicitly stated that his first son, Hisahito, was created through the process of selecting a fertilized egg]. 

If there are problems, Hisahito cannot become Emperor according to the provisions of the Imperial House Law. Their plan is to support their two daughters as "palaces" to achieve this goal.

Many of the "official duties" that Michiko increased were involved with vested interests

Regarding the suspicion of "profit-making through the use of the imperial family" by Mr. Kawashima Ikuo, the younger brother of Princess Kiko, it is reported in the following article on News Post.

www.news-postseven.com

Princess Kiko's father, Mr. Tatsuhiko Kawashima, is said to be a member of the Matsushita Konosuke Memorial Foundation and a member of the group “Seicho-no-Ie,” along with Tetsuo Yamazori, who was pressured by the current Emperor to abdicate during his time as Crown Prince. Additionally, as exposed in the June 6 issue (2019) of Shukan Shincho magazine, Mr. Kawashima has not only gone on a trip to Korea with Mr. Mitsui, who is a pachinko company president, but is also known to have a close relationship with him. There are also rumors that Princess Kiko's mother, who is said to have a North Korean background, is living in the Akishino residence as Prince Hisahito's educator. It is surely a matter of great concern for the Imperial Family that such outrageous rumors are circulating, and one can only imagine the deep dismay that the Showa Emperor would feel about this situation.

Michiko had the weekly magazine reporters under her employ write "flattering" articles. Furthermore, she had a vast number of books promoting her published

Michiko was extremely proactive in getting the media, such as newspapers and weekly magazines, on her side. It is a well-known fact that she had her "pet" reporters write bashing articles about Princess Masako. One of the weekly magazines was even ridiculed as "Michiko Jishin" instead of "Josei Jishin"(女性自身)magazine.

I was not aware of the "pet reporters" of Michiko and their articles in women's weekly magazines until they were reported on the internet. Occasionally, I hear nauseatingly flattering comments from a woman named Midori Watanabe when she appears on television, and I am amazed that there are people who cannot analyze or interpret such things. I came across one such person this April, named Makiko Yabe, and I was so angry that I immediately wrote this blog post.

www.yoshiepen.net

The writing had not a shred of intelligence. It was completely incoherent and terrible. Later, I found out that this person had written a ridiculous book titled "The Miracle of Empress Michiko," and I can only feel contempt. If someone is happy to write a book with such a title, it can only be said that they have no decency whatsoever, and are completely devoid of Japanese virtues.

It is unacceptable that Michiko has taken in the media and her pet reporters to write flattering articles about her, and even bashing articles about Princess Masako

Futari: Empress Michiko and Michiko Ishimure (Bunhiko Takayama, Kodansha, September 15th, 2015) was also terrible. First of all, the chronological order of events was not clear, and the book was illogical and full of problems. Furthermore, in his hatred towards Princess Masako, he distorted the facts. This is not acceptable for a writer. He "asserts" that Princess Masako should apologize to Minamata, but did he know that the sister-in-law of the former Empress married into the Anzai family of Showa Denko, which caused the second Minamata disease?

It seems that the media control by former Empress Michiko continues even today, with many posts by trash journalists, so we need to keep a close eye on them. A list of these trash journalists can be found by searching the internet, and we need to get rid of them!

It is said that Princess Masako advocated for "imperial reform" after her marriage. This apparently angered the former Empress and led to her imprisonment, according to information on the internet. I understand this and feel a boiling anger inside me.

They are scheming to bring the imperiallyne to the eldest son of Prince Akishino

The Prince Akishino couple and Kiko's father are using every means possible (including actions that may go against morality and even the law?) to snatch the imperial throne. While I will avoid details about Tatsuhiko Kawashima's background, which was exposed by Shukan Shincho magazine, it is clear that some suspicious organizations are involved. To the members of the "Nippon Kaigi" organization who are calling for the imperial line to be passed down to such bloodlines, is this really okay?

The total cost of the new residence for the former Emperor and Empress and the renovation and construction of the new residence for Prince Akishino amounts to 11.3 billion yen!

The cost of the new residence for the retired Emperor and Empress is exorbitant. The renovation cost of their temporary residence at Takamatsu Imperial Villa (formerly the Takamatsu Palace) was 550 million yen (although it has already been completed, the retired Emperor and Empress are still residing at the Imperial Palace). The renovation cost of their new residence, "Shin-Sento Imperial Palace," is about 70 billion yen, which includes a 400 million yen wardrobe for the former Empress. All of this is paid for by our taxes.

The news that the renovation and construction cost of the Prince Akishino's residence is 13 billion yen plus 30 billion yen is even more astonishing. Could this also include the cost of a new residence for their (assumed) daughter from the female imperial family? The total cost for the new residences of the retired Emperor, Empress, and Prince Akishino amounts to 113 billion yen, all of which comes from our taxes. There must be other ways to use this money if they truly want to "be close to the people." How long do we have to be exploited by these leech-like people?

 

The Unification Church's scheme that justified contempt for the Japanese and exploitation for the purpose of invading Japanese politics, business, and even the imperial household

The Unification Church, which originated from the International Victory Over Communism Association, had a more prominent political nature than a religious one. In terms of brainwashing and "proselytizing" political sentiments through religion, it may be more fanatical and criminal than the Aum Shinrikyo cult. In addition, the enormous donations raised from the Japanese people were used for business ventures in South Korea and the United States.

The methods used by Koreans to exploit Japan and its people under the guise of religion can be considered an international crime with a religious cover.

The following is a summary of an article by President Online (8/1/2022) that sheds light on this issue. The author is Yamato Aoba.

The real reason why the Unification Church thoroughly collected money from Japanese believers: Over 470 billion yen has already been sent to the United States... the majority of the 9,000 sushi restaurants across America are business partners"

1. A cunning strategy of thorough "Japanese exploitation"

There have been reports that the large amounts of funds collected from Japanese believers are sent to the Unification Church's home base in South Korea every year. According to overseas media, the Unification Church has used these funds to secretly expand its huge business in the United States while hiding its status as a religious organization, generating enormous profits.

2. Donations from Japanese believers were used to launch American businesses

In its home country of South Korea, the Unification Church has formed a conglomerate that includes companies in skiing, marine resorts, golf, construction, defense, chemistry, automotive parts, and newspapers, among others.

In the newly established American businesses, the Unification Church owns a number of businesses such as the conservative newspaper in the Washington D.C. area, The Washington Times, the New Yorker Hotel in New York, True World Foods, a seafood wholesaler, and numerous real estate properties.

3. Business exploitation using religion

â‘´ Behind the thriving business of the Unification Church in the United States is the destruction of the lives of Japanese believers. According to Insider magazine on July 26th, there have been criticisms of the Unification Church's "cult-like behavior," and reports of criticism that it is raising money from brainwashed believers.

⑵ The Financial Times also asserts that the Unification Church is a "cult" that mentally controls its followers. There have been suspicions for many years that the church has been forcing donations from its followers.

⑶ The same newspaper also highlights the notorious spiritual sales tactics of the church, stating that "Japanese followers have been involved in sales of 'spiritual products' such as expensive ginseng tea produced by Korean church-related companies, miniature towers made of stone, and the like, for decades.

What I cannot tolerate even more than the above is the unique "Japan-bashing" ideology of the peninsula. They claim that their motherland Korea is "Adam's country" and Japan is "Eve's country," and therefore Japan must be forever subservient to Korea. This is absolutely ridiculous and is probably just a reflection of their inferiority complex.

They also brainwash Japanese believers into thinking that they must atone for the sins of Japanese people from the Paleolithic era to the comfort women issue through donations. They take advantage of the "kindness of Japanese people," and this is also unacceptable.

Regarding the "Adam and Eve" reference, it reminds me

of the infamous statement made by Kei Komuro, who has Korean heritage, during

the press conference announcing his engagement to Princess Mako. He said,

"I am the sun and Mako is the moon."

Another thing that caught my attention is that the Unification Church's business includes the seafood industry. In my experience, most sushi restaurants in Philadelphia were owned by Koreans, and some had Korean chefs who hired people from Central and South America. Sushi is now a huge business in America. I want politicians in Japan who have been rendered powerless by these cults and criminal organizations to be immediately removed from office.

An even more serious problem is the speculation that Prince Akishino, Empress Michiko, and the male members of their circle of "experts" are closely related to the Unification Church, in order to receive their "benefits."

Looking at it from a different perspective, it could be said that Michiko and the Akishino family are trying to color the imperial family with a "peninsula hue" by using the Unification Church. They may have been secretly working on a heinous plan to take over the Emperor and the imperial family, which is the foundation of the Japanese identity, with theirown race. It's even possible that the GHQ's plot to overthrow the Emperor and the imperial family was passed on to the peninsula's unificationists. We must do everything we can to stop this from happening.

 

 

The articles written by Seiichi Kouchi, a former Imperial Household Agency employee who was once attached to the Emperor and Empress of the Heisei era, can be read

You can read numerous articles exposing the misconduct of former Empress Michiko, which were deleted from the internet due to pressure from Michiko. These articles include "Koshitsu Zeze Hihi Jiroku" and "Koshitsu Zeze Hihi Jitsuroku," both of which can be accessed through WaybackMachine. Although Mr. Kouchi had disappeared for a while, he has recently been publishing some of his previous articles on websites related to the Imperial Household. However, it seems that not all of his articles have been republished.

 The following is a repost of a previous article on this blog titled "Emperor Showa had declared 'The next prince should be the son of the Crown Prince!'" The following link lead to Mr.Kouchi's original articles.

http://web.archive.org/web/20200128001706/https://koshitsu.info/archives/category/%e4%b8%8a%e7%9a%87%e5%ae%b6/%e7%be%8e%e6%99%ba%e5%ad%90%e3%81%95%e3%81%be

Here is a translation of the article entitled, "Emperor Showa's statement "The imperial succession should not be transferred to Prince Akishino" was made out of concern for the possibility of Crown Princess Michiko's infidelity."

What is the origin of the phrase "Do not transfer the imperial succession to the Prince of Akishinono" and "The next Crown Prince should be the child of Naruhito " occasionally attributed to Emperor Showa?

In today's world where the internet and social media are prevalent, there is an overwhelming amount of information that makes it difficult to verify sources. However, as seen in the recent reports on "Princess Masako's horse allergy," even if the source is clear, there are cases where fake news is spread. Therefore, it is important to be cautious.

On the other hand, there are also factual information that may have unreliable sources. This is the case with Emperor Showa's statement "The imperial succession should not be transferred to Prince Akishino."

In reality, while it is a well-known fact that Emperor Showa had a dislike for Prince Akishino and the Kawashima family, it is unclear whether he actually made this exact statement. It is likely that this information spread from former Imperial Household Agency staff members at the time.

I would like to preface the following by saying that these are based on my hearsay and speculation.

The reason why Emperor Showa had a distrust for Prince Akishino was not due to his personality or the ambitious nature of Princess Kiko and her family, the Kawashimas, but rather due to his strong suspicion towards Michiko.

Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun were known for their modesty and reserved demeanor. Therefore, they were greatly dissatisfied with the behavior of Michiko, who was often featured in weekly magazines like a popular idol and spent millions of yen on clothing. They felt that her behavior was "distorting" the Imperial Household. Emperor Showa also did not appreciate it when his son, Crown Prince Akihito, was treated as a "child."

What Emperor Showa was worried about was her "promiscuous" behavior. Even the British Royal Family is often caught up in scandals involving infidelity, so it is not surprising at all if similar things happen in the Japanese Imperial Family. In fact, it is strange that such things have not been made public until now.

Michiko was said to have a "promiscuous" personality, and there were whispers that she had a lover even after her marriage. It is easy to imagine that Emperor Showa had a deep fear that "Prince Akishino's father may not be Crown Prince Akihito" lurking in his mind, which is why he showed distrust towards Prince Akishino multiple times. After all, Prince Akishino's personality is completely different from that of his older brother, then Prince Naruhito.

Emperor Showa, who opposed the marriage of Prince Akishino

It is likely that Emperor Showa had the same fear towards Princess Kiko as well. Kiko, who met Prince Akishino through a university circle, is also a "carnivorous" woman like Empress Michiko. Emperor Showa was not very enthusiastic about the marriage and was actually opposed to it. As a result, the announcement of Prince Akishino and Kiko's engagement was made after Emperor Showa's death, even though there were also concerns within the Imperial Household Agency that it was "too soon" to do so .

However, Prince Akishino insisted on getting married and threatened to renounce his Imperial status if he could not marry Kiko. Eventually, the engagement was approved by Akihito and Michiko (the Emperor and Empress at the time), despite the initial concerns.