Is the emperor still a living God?

JapaneseLanguageStudent · (#1 (**permalink**))

Is the emperor still a living God? If he is not, then about how long ago was he no longer considered as such?

Also, does the emperor still speak in a special language? Or does he speak regular Japanese nowadays? I remember reading that when Hirohito announced the surrender of Japan, his speech had to be translated.

MMM · (#2 (**permalink**))

Any consideration the Emperor was divine ended at the end of WWII

RickOShay · (#3 (**permalink**))

Is the internet so void of knowledge that you actually have to come to a web forum where mostly ani-nerds etc congregate to talk about their favorite cartoons and j-bands, in order to find your answer to a question that, quite frankly, feels overly ignorant for a modern day student? Since they are not blowing themselves up in planes anymore, i would say that your second question holds a little more validity, and I would probably agree with MMM, that the notion of the emperor being god was buried at the end of WW2.

OHayou · (#4 (**permalink**))

Yeah take that JapaneseStudent!

:highfive rick: We sure showed that <insert insult> that the Japanese Forum community is not a friendly one.

Columbine · (#5 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by JapaneseLanguageStudent

Is the emperor still a living God? If he is not, then about how long ago was he no longer considered as such?

Also, does the emperor still speak in a special language? Or does he speak regular Japanese nowadays? I remember reading that when Hirohito announced the surrender of Japan, his speech had to be translated.

No. The monarchy officially renounced their 'divinity' in the same speech where Japan surrendered. So over 60 years now.

I'm not sure, but I think the Emperor speaks polite and formal but recognisable Japanese now. The current emperor lives in a very different world and has a very different role to Hirohito. If you're interested, there are books about Japan post war- it might be worth reading one.

DragonNL · (#6 (**permalink**))

With all due respect, I can't believe you asked that question. No human is god. Not even Jesus and Mohamed. If you have a body that needs to be maintained, you're not god.

Columbine · (#7 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragonNL

With all due recpect, I can't believe you asked that question. No human is god. Not even Jesus and Mohamed. If you have a body that needs to be maintained, you're not god.

The thing is, pre-war, the emperor of Japan was considered a god by his people. Of course, in reality he was perfectly human, but I believe that is what OP was asking about, not if he was literally a god!

dogsbody70 · (#8 (**permalink**))

there seems to be plenty of info on the web and of course Numerous books about Japan.

I had read that at one time HIROHITO was considered a Living God.

We need some Japanese people to put us right about this.

My Japanese friend used to tell me that she was not allowed to say the name of the Emperor!! He was considered untouchable.

She was born in 1942 so although following the end of WW2-- although the divinity of the emperor appears to have been removed-- It seems he was still considered extremely important and I guess General McArthur used the awe in which the emperor was regarded-- as a useful tool to keep the Japanese people in order.

we really need to hear from Japanese people especially the older generation who survived the war years.

Jiro260 · (#9 (**permalink**))

In Japan, the concept of "KAMI" is used as translation of God.

But, there are huge distinction between these words so that I think we should take much care about it, to think Japanese emperor.

BBC has provided programme that include fruitful implication. It is found in the link below:

BBC - BBC Radio 4 Programmes - In Our Time, Shinto

Ronin4hire · (#10 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiro260

In Japan, the concept of "KAMI" is used as translation of God.

But, there are huge distinction between these words so that I think we should take much care about it, to think Japanese emperor.

BBC has provided programme that include fruitful implication. It is found in the link below:

BBC - BBC Radio 4 Programmes - In Our Time, Shinto

Yeah I agree.

I've always translated kami to mean "divine" rather than "god".

But I suppose that is not completely accurate also.