＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
<7/28/2022 postscript> Exquisite public relations strategy seen in the publication of “sericulture photos” of the Emperor and his family on the “Imperial Family SNS.
On July 14, the Imperial Household Agency released five photos of His Majesty the Emperor, Crown Princess Masako, and Crown Princess Aiko engaging in sericulture at the Momijiyama Sericultural Station in the Imperial Palace.
This is the first year that His Majesty the Emperor and Princess Aiko have participated in sericulture, an activity that has been handed down by successive Empresses and that Princess Masako has also been engaged in since 2020. The photos show the family in casual attire, looking different from usual.
This may be another indication of His Majesty the Emperor’s recent intention to utilize social networking services.
Recently, there was a news report that His Majesty the Emperor of Japan “intends to use social networking services to communicate with the public.
Nowadays, the use and application of SNS is becoming common in Japan, regardless of national or local governments, companies, or individuals. Globally, they are spreading more rapidly than in Japan in Europe, the U.S., and other Asian countries such as China.
The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) operates a regional inbound promotion website called “Japan’s Attraction, Japan’s Power. The website introduces many examples of successful inbound travel to Japan and the know-how of each region.
１．SNS transmission by the Imperial Family
I believe that the motto of His Majesty the Emperor was “an emperor who lives with the people and prays for the people.” For His Majesty the Emperor, who has often said “I want to be an emperor who goes among the people,” I think that social networking is a natural progression.
Although he may not be able to comment on or criticize political matters due to restrictions in Japan’s Constitution and other laws, I believe that his proactive use of social networking sites is welcome in order to shorten the distance between the Imperial Family and the people.
In the United States, President Trump’s Twitter is so well known. In Europe, various social networking services are being used by the British Royal Family, which considers itself an “open royal family,” as well as the Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian royal families.
However, countermeasures against “flames” and “hacker attacks” are necessary.
２．Expectations for the Empress’ SNS communication in English
When President and Mrs. Trump visited Japan recently, Empress Masako made headlines for her friendly conversation in English without an interpreter.
After becoming Empress, she seems to be much brighter than before. It seems as if she has blown something out of the water. From now on, I hope that she will contribute to “imperial diplomacy” by using English, which is her forte, and by demonstrating her career as a former diplomat to the fullest.
The keynote speech in beautiful and elegant English (Peace through Children’s Books – Memories of Reading as a Child – Michiko) at the 26th International Children’s Book Council Conference in New Delhi in 1998 attracted much attention, and it seems that Empress Masako has English language skills that are no less impressive than those of the Emperor.
Like the Emperor, I believe that the Empress will certainly become an “influencer” if she communicates in English through social networking sites.
＜1998年の「第26回国際児童図書評議会ニューデリー大会」での格調高く美しい英語での基調講演＞
３．The Emperor’s friendly behavior in the past
During his visit to Denmark in June 2017, while strolling in Copenhagen, he was approached by a local resident and the two of them took a “selfie” together upon request.
Two months earlier, during his visit to Malaysia, he was photographed with former Prime Minister Najib Razak, which quickly spread around the world on social networking sites and became well known for His Majesty’s friendly personality.
When His Highness the Emperor visited foreign countries as the Crown Prince, he seemed to be more friendly and approachable with citizens than His Majesty the Emperor is today.
I think that the Imperial Household Agency’s security has become stricter over the years. I understand that there are various difficult issues such as counter-terrorism measures, but I think that “lowering the barrier between the Emperor and the people” is an issue that needs to be considered in the future.
In this sense, I believe that the use of SNS is a very effective method.
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