[/floatl]Christian Science Monitor: Japanese dare to ask: Do we really need an emperor?Japan's imperial family is confronting a sharp crisis of confidence as it searches for a meaningful role in modern Japanese society. While still revered, the imperial family – whose head was considered divine until 1945 – is increasingly pitied as its members struggle with their tightly constrained lives. And with Emperor Akihito's reign in its twilight, many Japanese are daring to ask what has been unspeakable for centuries: Does the country really need an emperor? Japan's royals are expected to work tirelessly, acting as a unifying force and fostering hope during difficult times. But so great has the stress on the family become that the Imperial Household Agency (IHA) announced Thursday that it will reduce the ailing emperor's official meetings with dignitaries, have him attend far fewer religious rituals, and end his role giving speeches at national athletic events. The decision is just the latest in a string of setbacks for the world's oldest ruling imperial line. According to his doctors, Emperor Akihito, who has been increasingly vocal about his concerns about the family's future, is suffering from "mental agony"..."They are the picture of unhappiness," says Herbert Bix, professor of history at Binghamton University in New York and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book "Hirohito and The Making of Modern Japan." "They seem to have been denied human rights," he adds. "You can understand their angst"...more...
