시대의 상징으로서 근현대 일본의 연호와 시호

초록

This paper focuses on era names (年號) and posthumous titles (諡號) associated with the modern and contemporary emperor system as symbols for distinguishing and remembering the eras in Japan. For this purpose, the article examines the process of establishing related systems and practices, the public’s reaction to the emergence of new traditions and their desires for participation, the crisis of the era names and posthumous titles caused by the defeat in the war and democratization, and the process of transforming into a new system through discussions including those on the issue of public participation and surviving to this day. After the ascension and reign of Emperor Meiji, the first emperor in modern Japan, new practices regarding era names and posthumous titles emerged one after another, such as the “one-era-one-name system”(一世一元制), the streamlining of era name reviewing process, the prohibition of abdication during the emperor’s lifetime, and the use of the era name as the posthumous title after his death. However, it took nearly 60 years since the opening of the Meiji era for these practices to be institutionalized through the enactment of the Imperial House Law (皇室典範), Ascension Ordinance (登極令), and Imperial House Funeral Ordinance (皇室喪儀令). Meanwhile, people were interested in and eager to participate in the posthumous title decision process, which had not yet been institutionalized and had enough time until the decision. And they were also flustered by the emergence of new practices regarding the title. However, they finally came to embrace it because the era name used by Emperor Meiji, who had turned Japan into the first-class world power and empire, was selected as his posthumous title. As a result, the one-era-one-name system and the “one-name-one-title system” (一元一號制) were combined and repeated thereafter. However, the defeat in 1945 and democratization removed the legal basis for era names and posthumous titles, and discussions such as those on abolishing era names or deciding them upon the public’s ideas emerged. In response, the government granted a new basis called Era Name Act (元號法), stipulating the cabinet-led selection of the era name, and revived the lifelong reign and the one-era-one-name system. In addition, the possibility of the National Diet’s involvement in the issue of posthumous titles was excluded. When the first succession to the throne after the war occurred, the prewar systems of one-era-one-name and one-name-one title were reaffirmed. And the recent revival of abdication before the emperor’s death and the title of emperor emeritus were also regarded as exceptional events. In this way, the status of era names and posthumous titles as symbols of the times continues throughout prewar and postwar periods and to this day, which in turn contributes to the survival of Japanese emperor system.

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