The world has started to be in more uproar. Among them, there is one extremely striking thing. I would like to write about it now, that is, ‘in advance’.

That is, from 6^th July, Their Majesty the Emperor and Empress are planning to visit Mongolia. The Imperial Household Agency has announced it. The visit follows the Cabinet decision made on the 20th.

‘His Excellency the President of Mongolia has long extended an invitation to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress to visit his country.

In light of the friendly relations between Japan and Mongolia, we would like to request that Their Majesties make an official visit to the country.’

Upon closer inspection, this statement may seem a little strange to us ordinary people. The ’visit’ will be taken merely by Their Majesties. However, the ‘visit’ will not be undergone by their will, and in reality, there are double schemes behind it. One reason is that it was ‘solely an invitation from the Mongolian side.’ Furthermore, considering this, the Japanese Cabinet has adopted the appearance of having ‘requested’ Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress to visit. In fact, there is not the slightest trace of the current Emperor’s ‘will’ in this. Why?

This deeply connects to the ‘symbolic emperor system’, which was established in post-war period. It is because the acts that His Majesty can perform as ‘official business’ are ‘limitative listed’ as below.

１．The Emperor’s acts in matters of state (Constitution, Articles 6, 7, and 4, paragraph 2)

２．The Emperor shall perform only such acts in matters of state as are provided for in this Constitution and he shall not have powers related to government. (Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution)

　１．The Emperor shall appoint the Prime Minister as designated by the Diet.

 　２．The Emperor shall appoint the Chief Judge of the Supreme Court as designated by the Cabinet.

　３．Promulgation of amendments of the constitution, laws, cabinet orders and treaties.

　４．Convocation of the Diet.

　５．Dissolution of the House of Representatives.

　６．Proclamation of general election of members of the Diet.

　７．Attestation of the appointment and dismissal of Ministers of State and other officials as provided for by law, and of full powers and credentials of Ambassadors and Ministers.

　８．Attestation of general and special amnesty, commutation of punishment, reprieve, and restoration of rights.

　９．Awarding of honors.

　１０．Attestation of instruments of ratification and other diplomatic documents as provided for by law.

　１１．Receiving foreign ambassadors and ministers.

　１２．Performance of ceremonial functions.

　１３．The Emperor may delegate the performance of his acts in matters of state as may be provided by law.

３．The advice and approval of the Cabinet shall be required for all acts of the Emperor in matters of state, and the Cabinet shall be responsible therefor. (Article 3 of the Constitution)

Yes, to be frank with you, as obvious as above, ‘Foreign Visits’ by His Majesty (including the Imperial Family) are not included in ‘his acts in matters of state’. Although ‘Foreign Visits’ are often taken for granted these days, in reality, strictly speaking, they cannot be said to be ‘without constitutional doubts.’ Therefore, how to overcome this was inevitably going to become a major issue in constitutional politics.

After the war, the first time His Majesty had an official visit was in 1971 when the Showa Emperor (at that time) visited Europe. In anticipation of this, a very heated debate has taken place in Japan. After having those domestic criticism, the theory the government at that time proposed was this enthymeme as above, that ‘Foreign Visits shall only be made at the invitation of a foreign head of state.’, and ‘The Cabinet requests that the Emperor visit a foreign country, and the Emperor accepts the request.’

However. There is something we have to remember. That is, strictly speaking, ‘official business’ and ‘official duties’ are different. This does not become a topic of conversation among the form of government, which is selected by elections, at all. It is because, for the form of government, the rule is The Constitution of Japan, and limited in the acts in the matter of state which is limited listed, in other words, ‘official business.’

In contrast, ‘official duties’ also indicate the acts that His Majesty ‘de facto’ performs. The ‘theory of Sonobe’ which is the most cogent argument, includes not only de facto acts but also ‘religious services following the royal tradition’ in those ‘official duties.’ Moreover, those are different from ‘acts of state’, and it can be interpreted that it needs in detail a counsel and approval by the Cabinet. In fact, here we can see glimpses of a very narrow path that runs between constitutionalism and the world ‘beyond.’

When thinking like so, why His Majesty has decided to visit the country of ‘Borte Chino’ this time? When we consider this to be ‘official duties’, what inferences can we draw? (Needless to say, ‘official duties’ in this sense are purely private and of a completely different nature from actual acts (such as taking a bath), but on the other hand, as mentioned above, it certainly takes on a ‘private character’ insofar as it is understood that it does not necessarily require counsel or approval from the Cabinet. Therefore, I would like to state here that ultimately, we ordinary people can only ‘presume’ and ‘guess’ the true intentions of His Majesty.)

In this regard, what has caught my attention is the fact that while Their Majesties are set to begin their visit to the ‘Land of Borte Chino’ on the 6th and 7th of next month (July), the ‘BRICS Summit’ will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, located on the opposite side of the globe, both Russian President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have publicly declared early on that they will not be attending. Those countries are weirdly recognised as ‘Mongolian neighbours’. Each stated the plausible reasons. However, in my humble opinion, it needs to be carefully examined if ‘that is the case or that is all?’

It is because no other ‘form of government’ leaders ‘are aware of His Majesty’ than these two heads of state. At first, President Putin of Russia attempted to have an audience with the Heisei Emperor (at that time) during his visit to Japan during the Shinzo Abe administration, but it was cancelled due to His Majesty’s condition. Since then, the Japanese ‘national polity’ level and President Putin have not had a communication. On the other hand, Xi Jinping, the President of China has a history of planning to state visit to Japan and inviting His Majesty to China as a state gust ‘in return’. However, none of these efforts have been realised to this day, and President Xi Jinping also remains unable to communicate with His Majesty.

There no doubt that it is a significant event, as His Majesty is visiting what they see as ‘right on the doorstep of their country.’ Moreover, what if there was an element of ‘official duties’ involved, and in particular an important religious significance? In other words, if there is ‘something’ that can only be accomplished by visiting the country of the ‘Borte Chino’, then it is likely that His Majesty, as the lord of Sumeragi, recognises it as something that he must accomplish, and that he is about to do so right now.

Of course, the specifics of what this ritual entails are never revealed. That is what Sumeragi’s ‘rituals’ are all about. It is precisely because it is kept secret that the light that shines through the door that is opened by it becomes dazzling and beautiful. And if the impact it brings can have a direct effect on one’s own country, then it is only natural that the leaders of that ‘form of government’ would, so to speak, ‘stand by at home’ and be fully prepared to deal with any good or bad fortune that may come their way.

I would like to keep a close eye on what kind of ‘official duties’ His Majesty intends to carry out in the ‘Land of Borte Chino,’ beyond just ‘official duties.’ I would also like to be fully aware of the ‘world-wide revolution’ that will result from the enormous impact that will be generated there. Such ‘6^th and 7^th July’ will soon be upon us. What about you?

28^th June, 2025, at my residence in Tokyo

IISIA, Founder/CEO & Chairman/Global AI Strategist

Written by Harada Takeo