The Benefits of 'Royal Diplomacy'
KITAMURA Fumio / Journalist
December 3, 2004
Something is amiss within Japan's Imperial Household. For nearly a year now, the Crown Princess Masako has suspended her official functions for 'health reasons.' The public knew next to nothing about the details of her disposition or the effectiveness of treatment, for reasons that include the extreme lack of information disclosed by the Imperial Household Agency and the voluntary restraint on reporting exercised by Japan's mass media.
Eventually, the cause of Princess Masako's impaired health was disclosed in an unexpected manner. The Crown Prince himself said during a press conference in May that the Princess had been "deeply distressed by the fact that she was not freely permitted to pay overseas visits, even though she considered promoting international goodwill an important role to be played by a member of the Imperial Family." He even went further, stating flatly that "there were indeed some moves purporting to dismiss Masako's career and her personality based on that career." It was an unprecedented event in the Imperial House, bound by tradition and convention and cloaked in a heavy shroud of secrecy. It was only after the Crown Prince's comments that the Imperial Household Agency announced Princess Masako's illness to be "stress-induced adjustment disorder."
Taken together, the Crown Prince's comments and the official announcement of the Princess' illness allows us to infer that the Princess had been tormented by being unable to fulfill her self-imposed duty of imperial diplomacy and by the myriad psychological pressures involved.
There is no way for ordinary Japanese on the outside to fathom what kind of imperial diplomacy the Crown Princess had been aspiring to. Up to the mid-19th century, the fate of nations was decided by the flamboyant and elegant diplomacy of monarchs that was described as the "congress dances." However, the epoch of absolute monarchy has long gone. While several advanced countries still retain monarchies, under the 'reigns but does not rule' principle of constitutional monarchy, the king does not wield any political power. Politicians and bureaucrats are the central players in diplomatic negotiations. Members of royalty are no longer the diplomatic players in the true sense of the word. Why then do we still refer to the term 'royal diplomacy'?
For today's royal houses, the opportunity for international exchange lies for the most part in ceremonial visits to other countries - attendance at the weddings and funerals of royalty and visits for the purpose of goodwill and charity. Broad attempts at contact with citizens of the receiving country are made over the duration of their visit. Their itinerary consists mainly of attendance at charity events and concerts, art exhibitions and sports events, as well as inspection tours to kindergartens, universities, hospitals and nursing homes. Almost without exception, royal diplomacy is characterized by a schedule of events that are highly visible to the mass media.
In today's Information Age, members of royalty attract extra attention from the mass media as 'noble celebrities.' Their graceful yet unassuming demeanor and friendly conversations with the general public are magnified by media reports. And the image of royalty thus created throughout these goodwill visits has the effect of planting in the minds of the general public an image of the country from whence they came. The greatest function that can be expected of 'royal diplomacy' lies in the way it creates a positive impression of the society that has a constitutional monarchy among the peoples of other countries.
Internal change within the royal household also has the effect of symbolically signifying social changes that are taking place in that particular country. In the royal houses of European and Middle East countries, career women of common birth and foreign women with a history of divorce are sometimes chosen as crown princesses, and such news is received outside those countries as an indication of democratic maturity and tolerance not only of the royal house concerned but also of that society as a whole.
Political leaders such as presidents and prime ministers can seldom be expected to communicate a positive image of their society to the outside world. While there are no doubt many leaders with high-minded personalities, power struggles are dogged by conspiracy, oppression and treachery. There is no end to the number of political leaders who have been stained by scandals involving bribery and corruption, nepotism or illegal information gathering against political rivals.
Severed from political power, today's constitutional monarchies have been freed from the negative elements of politics. And their transformation into such a detached role has worked to expand the domains in which 'royal diplomacy' can be effective. Crown Princess Masako is blessed with the qualities for pursuing 'royal diplomacy'and ample experience with which to hone her qualifications. She was educated at the best universities in America, Japan and the United Kingdom, is fluent in several languages and has experienced difficult diplomatic negotiations as a career diplomat. She is an invaluable asset for communicating Japan's good image abroad. That the Crown Princess has suddenly disappeared from the public view and remains unable to perform her official functions is indeed a considerable loss in terms of promoting international exchange.
To help Princess Masako overcome her adjustment disorder, we must alleviate and eliminate the psychological pressure. According to media reports in Japan and abroad, the greatest cause of pressure apparently originates from her concern that she has yet to produce a male heir to the Imperial throne. Many also report that the Princess also suffers from the heavy sense of stagnation and isolation caused by longstanding protocol that places excessive restrictions on her freedom in daily life.
To recover lively expression to Princess Masako's face, it is essential to encourage more openness in the Imperial institution and respect for the individual freedom of members of the Imperial Family. We must also consider revising the Imperial Household Law that stipulates the right of succession to a male heir and open the way to the accession of an Empress.
The writer is a former Professor of Shukutoku University and former Senior Editor and London Bureau Chief of the Yomiuri Newspaper.
Eventually, the cause of Princess Masako's impaired health was disclosed in an unexpected manner. The Crown Prince himself said during a press conference in May that the Princess had been "deeply distressed by the fact that she was not freely permitted to pay overseas visits, even though she considered promoting international goodwill an important role to be played by a member of the Imperial Family." He even went further, stating flatly that "there were indeed some moves purporting to dismiss Masako's career and her personality based on that career." It was an unprecedented event in the Imperial House, bound by tradition and convention and cloaked in a heavy shroud of secrecy. It was only after the Crown Prince's comments that the Imperial Household Agency announced Princess Masako's illness to be "stress-induced adjustment disorder."
Taken together, the Crown Prince's comments and the official announcement of the Princess' illness allows us to infer that the Princess had been tormented by being unable to fulfill her self-imposed duty of imperial diplomacy and by the myriad psychological pressures involved.
There is no way for ordinary Japanese on the outside to fathom what kind of imperial diplomacy the Crown Princess had been aspiring to. Up to the mid-19th century, the fate of nations was decided by the flamboyant and elegant diplomacy of monarchs that was described as the "congress dances." However, the epoch of absolute monarchy has long gone. While several advanced countries still retain monarchies, under the 'reigns but does not rule' principle of constitutional monarchy, the king does not wield any political power. Politicians and bureaucrats are the central players in diplomatic negotiations. Members of royalty are no longer the diplomatic players in the true sense of the word. Why then do we still refer to the term 'royal diplomacy'?
For today's royal houses, the opportunity for international exchange lies for the most part in ceremonial visits to other countries - attendance at the weddings and funerals of royalty and visits for the purpose of goodwill and charity. Broad attempts at contact with citizens of the receiving country are made over the duration of their visit. Their itinerary consists mainly of attendance at charity events and concerts, art exhibitions and sports events, as well as inspection tours to kindergartens, universities, hospitals and nursing homes. Almost without exception, royal diplomacy is characterized by a schedule of events that are highly visible to the mass media.
In today's Information Age, members of royalty attract extra attention from the mass media as 'noble celebrities.' Their graceful yet unassuming demeanor and friendly conversations with the general public are magnified by media reports. And the image of royalty thus created throughout these goodwill visits has the effect of planting in the minds of the general public an image of the country from whence they came. The greatest function that can be expected of 'royal diplomacy' lies in the way it creates a positive impression of the society that has a constitutional monarchy among the peoples of other countries.
Internal change within the royal household also has the effect of symbolically signifying social changes that are taking place in that particular country. In the royal houses of European and Middle East countries, career women of common birth and foreign women with a history of divorce are sometimes chosen as crown princesses, and such news is received outside those countries as an indication of democratic maturity and tolerance not only of the royal house concerned but also of that society as a whole.
Political leaders such as presidents and prime ministers can seldom be expected to communicate a positive image of their society to the outside world. While there are no doubt many leaders with high-minded personalities, power struggles are dogged by conspiracy, oppression and treachery. There is no end to the number of political leaders who have been stained by scandals involving bribery and corruption, nepotism or illegal information gathering against political rivals.
Severed from political power, today's constitutional monarchies have been freed from the negative elements of politics. And their transformation into such a detached role has worked to expand the domains in which 'royal diplomacy' can be effective. Crown Princess Masako is blessed with the qualities for pursuing 'royal diplomacy'and ample experience with which to hone her qualifications. She was educated at the best universities in America, Japan and the United Kingdom, is fluent in several languages and has experienced difficult diplomatic negotiations as a career diplomat. She is an invaluable asset for communicating Japan's good image abroad. That the Crown Princess has suddenly disappeared from the public view and remains unable to perform her official functions is indeed a considerable loss in terms of promoting international exchange.
To help Princess Masako overcome her adjustment disorder, we must alleviate and eliminate the psychological pressure. According to media reports in Japan and abroad, the greatest cause of pressure apparently originates from her concern that she has yet to produce a male heir to the Imperial throne. Many also report that the Princess also suffers from the heavy sense of stagnation and isolation caused by longstanding protocol that places excessive restrictions on her freedom in daily life.
To recover lively expression to Princess Masako's face, it is essential to encourage more openness in the Imperial institution and respect for the individual freedom of members of the Imperial Family. We must also consider revising the Imperial Household Law that stipulates the right of succession to a male heir and open the way to the accession of an Empress.
The writer is a former Professor of Shukutoku University and former Senior Editor and London Bureau Chief of the Yomiuri Newspaper.
The English-Speaking Union of Japan
王室外交の効用
北村 文夫 / ジャーナリスト
2004年 12月 3日
日本皇室に異変が起きている。皇太子妃の雅子殿下が、一年間近くにわたって「健康上の理由」で公務活動を停止していることだ。宮内庁からの情報開示が極端に少ないこと、日本マスメディア側の報道自粛などによって、詳しい病状や治療による回復度についてはほとんど知らされてこなかった。
しかし皇太子妃の体調不全の原因は、思いがけない方法で明らかにされた。皇太子自身がさる五月の記者会見で、「国際親善を皇族として重要な役目と思いながらも、外国訪問をなかなか許されなかったことに（雅子妃は）大変苦悩しておりました」と述べ、さらに「雅子のキャリアや、そのことに基づいた雅子の人格を否定するような動きもあったことは事実です」とまで言い切ったからだ。伝統としきたりに縛られ、秘密保持の厚いとばりに包まれてきた皇室では、前代未聞の出来事だった。宮内庁が雅子妃の病状を「適応障害症」と発表したのは、皇太子発言のあとのことだった。
皇太子発言にこの公式病名を重ね合わせると、皇太子妃は自らに課した皇室外交への責務を果たせないことと、それにまつわる多くの心理的プレッシャーで苦悩してきたと推察できよう。
皇太子妃がどのような形の皇族外交を夢見ていたのか、外部にいる国民には知る由もない。19世紀の半ばころまで国家の命運を決めたのは、「会議は踊る」と形容された華麗で優雅な君主外交だった。その絶対君主制の時代はとうの昔に過ぎ去った。いまでもいくつかの先進諸国が王制を保ってはいるものの、「君臨すれど統治せず」の立憲君主制のもとで国王は政治権力はもっていない。外交交渉の当事者は、政治家であり官僚である。王族が言葉の真の意味での外交当事者ではなくなったのに、なぜ「王室外交」という言葉が残るのだろうか。
現代の王室にとって国際交流の機会となるのは、その大部分が他国への儀礼訪問である。王族の結婚式や葬儀への参列、友好親善のための訪問などである。その滞在期間を通じて、相手国市民との幅広い接触が試みられる。慈善行事やコンサート、美術展、スポーツ・イベントなどへの列席、幼稚園や大学、病院、養護施設などへの視察訪問が、主要なスケジュールとして組み込まれる。このようにほぼ例外なしに、マスメディアへの露出度が高い日程が王室外交を特徴づけている。
情報化時代と呼ばれる現代では、王族という「高貴なセレブリティ」はマスメディアからの格別の注目を浴びる。王族の優雅ながらも気取らない立ち居振る舞い、民衆との親しげな対話などが、メディアによって増幅して報じられる。これらの親善訪問を通じて生まれる王族イメージが、王族を送り出した国へのイメージを一般大衆に植え付ける効果をもつ。「王室外交」がもち得る最大の機能は、王制保持国の社会がもつ良質の側面を他国民に印象づける点にあると思う。
また王室の内部変化は、その国の社会変化を象徴的に示す効果をもつ。欧州諸国や中東諸国の王室では、平民のキャリア・ウーマンや離婚歴をもつ外国人女性が皇太子妃に選ばれたりするが、そうしたニュースはその王室だけでなく国全体に広がる民主化度と社会的な寛容度の広がりを示すものとして、他国では受け止められる。
大統領や首相といった政治権力者に、良質な社会イメージの伝達を期待することはむつかしい。人格高潔な政治指導者も数多いだろうが、権力をめぐる政治駆け引きには策謀、圧制、欺瞞などがまといつく。収賄汚職、近親者登用、政敵への非合法な情報収集などのスキャンダルにまみれる権力者もあとを絶たない。
現代の君主制は政治権力と無縁になったために、政治にまつわるネガティブな要素から開放された。そうした超然たる存在へと転化したことが、「王室外交」の効用の場を拡大させたといえよう。雅子妃は「王室外交」を進める恵まれた資質と、それを磨く豊かな経験をもっているはずだ。アメリカ、日本、イギリスの最良の大学で学び、複数の外国語にも練達で、またキャリア外交官としてむつかしい外交交渉に携わってきた。日本のよきイメージを外国に伝達できる貴重な存在である。その皇太子妃が民衆の前から姿を消し、公務を遂行できないでいることは、国際交流の促進という観点から大きな損失となる。
雅子妃が「適応障害症」を克服するためには、心理的プレッシャーを軽減し、除去してあげねばならない。日本内外のマスメディア報道によると、プレッシャーの最大要因は皇位継承権をもつ男児をまだ出産していないことがもたらす悩みといわれる。また古い慣習によって、日常生活に加えられる過剰なまでの自由束縛が、皇太子妃に重苦しい閉塞感と孤立感を与えているという報道も多い。
雅子妃が生気あふれる表情を取り戻すためには、皇室の制度開明化と皇族の人間的な自由を尊重することが欠かせまい。男児による皇位継承を定めた皇室典範を改正して、女帝誕生への道を開くことも検討せねばならない。
（筆者は元淑徳大学教授、元読売新聞編集委員、ロンドン総局長）
しかし皇太子妃の体調不全の原因は、思いがけない方法で明らかにされた。皇太子自身がさる五月の記者会見で、「国際親善を皇族として重要な役目と思いながらも、外国訪問をなかなか許されなかったことに（雅子妃は）大変苦悩しておりました」と述べ、さらに「雅子のキャリアや、そのことに基づいた雅子の人格を否定するような動きもあったことは事実です」とまで言い切ったからだ。伝統としきたりに縛られ、秘密保持の厚いとばりに包まれてきた皇室では、前代未聞の出来事だった。宮内庁が雅子妃の病状を「適応障害症」と発表したのは、皇太子発言のあとのことだった。
皇太子発言にこの公式病名を重ね合わせると、皇太子妃は自らに課した皇室外交への責務を果たせないことと、それにまつわる多くの心理的プレッシャーで苦悩してきたと推察できよう。
皇太子妃がどのような形の皇族外交を夢見ていたのか、外部にいる国民には知る由もない。19世紀の半ばころまで国家の命運を決めたのは、「会議は踊る」と形容された華麗で優雅な君主外交だった。その絶対君主制の時代はとうの昔に過ぎ去った。いまでもいくつかの先進諸国が王制を保ってはいるものの、「君臨すれど統治せず」の立憲君主制のもとで国王は政治権力はもっていない。外交交渉の当事者は、政治家であり官僚である。王族が言葉の真の意味での外交当事者ではなくなったのに、なぜ「王室外交」という言葉が残るのだろうか。
現代の王室にとって国際交流の機会となるのは、その大部分が他国への儀礼訪問である。王族の結婚式や葬儀への参列、友好親善のための訪問などである。その滞在期間を通じて、相手国市民との幅広い接触が試みられる。慈善行事やコンサート、美術展、スポーツ・イベントなどへの列席、幼稚園や大学、病院、養護施設などへの視察訪問が、主要なスケジュールとして組み込まれる。このようにほぼ例外なしに、マスメディアへの露出度が高い日程が王室外交を特徴づけている。
情報化時代と呼ばれる現代では、王族という「高貴なセレブリティ」はマスメディアからの格別の注目を浴びる。王族の優雅ながらも気取らない立ち居振る舞い、民衆との親しげな対話などが、メディアによって増幅して報じられる。これらの親善訪問を通じて生まれる王族イメージが、王族を送り出した国へのイメージを一般大衆に植え付ける効果をもつ。「王室外交」がもち得る最大の機能は、王制保持国の社会がもつ良質の側面を他国民に印象づける点にあると思う。
また王室の内部変化は、その国の社会変化を象徴的に示す効果をもつ。欧州諸国や中東諸国の王室では、平民のキャリア・ウーマンや離婚歴をもつ外国人女性が皇太子妃に選ばれたりするが、そうしたニュースはその王室だけでなく国全体に広がる民主化度と社会的な寛容度の広がりを示すものとして、他国では受け止められる。
大統領や首相といった政治権力者に、良質な社会イメージの伝達を期待することはむつかしい。人格高潔な政治指導者も数多いだろうが、権力をめぐる政治駆け引きには策謀、圧制、欺瞞などがまといつく。収賄汚職、近親者登用、政敵への非合法な情報収集などのスキャンダルにまみれる権力者もあとを絶たない。
現代の君主制は政治権力と無縁になったために、政治にまつわるネガティブな要素から開放された。そうした超然たる存在へと転化したことが、「王室外交」の効用の場を拡大させたといえよう。雅子妃は「王室外交」を進める恵まれた資質と、それを磨く豊かな経験をもっているはずだ。アメリカ、日本、イギリスの最良の大学で学び、複数の外国語にも練達で、またキャリア外交官としてむつかしい外交交渉に携わってきた。日本のよきイメージを外国に伝達できる貴重な存在である。その皇太子妃が民衆の前から姿を消し、公務を遂行できないでいることは、国際交流の促進という観点から大きな損失となる。
雅子妃が「適応障害症」を克服するためには、心理的プレッシャーを軽減し、除去してあげねばならない。日本内外のマスメディア報道によると、プレッシャーの最大要因は皇位継承権をもつ男児をまだ出産していないことがもたらす悩みといわれる。また古い慣習によって、日常生活に加えられる過剰なまでの自由束縛が、皇太子妃に重苦しい閉塞感と孤立感を与えているという報道も多い。
雅子妃が生気あふれる表情を取り戻すためには、皇室の制度開明化と皇族の人間的な自由を尊重することが欠かせまい。男児による皇位継承を定めた皇室典範を改正して、女帝誕生への道を開くことも検討せねばならない。
（筆者は元淑徳大学教授、元読売新聞編集委員、ロンドン総局長）
一般社団法人 日本英語交流連盟