See the following comentary on the Emperor and War Responsibility
by Vera Mackie where she notes:
This concentration on the Emperor may be puzzling to outside
observers, but for the Japanese left, the imperial institution is a symbol
of all of the systems of inequality in pre-war and post-war Japan. Most
are focusing on the institution rather than the individual. Others focus
on the Emperor's post-war role as symbol of the state. According to the
post-warConstitution of Japan, sovereignty resides in the people rather
than the imperial institution, and the Emperor has been reduced to a symbolic
function.
One colleague explained to me that the Emperor now has no political power
but is seen as a symbol of the state. ``For us,'' explained my colleague,
``that means that he is a symbol of discrimination.'' In the contemporary
context, this involves criticism of the systems of hierarchy and inequality
which persist in present-day Japanese society even after the enactment of
the more liberal post-war constitution.
See also this excerpt from Murakami Haruki's recent (2002) novel, Sputnik
Sweetheart
where a comical exchange between two characteres in a novel is
captured about what the whole notion of the "symbol emperor" means.
It seems to place the context of the emperor's role in a "theater-of-the-absurd"
context.
"Right, I wanted you to tell me something. That's why I called,"
Sumire said. She lightly cleared her throat. "What I want to know is
what's the difference between a sign and symbol?"
I felt a weird sensation, like something was silently parading through my
head. "Could you repeat the question?"
She did. What's the difference between a sign and a symbol?
I sat up in bed, switched the receiver from my left hand to my right. "Let
me get this right--you're calling me because you want to find out the difference
between a sign and a symbol. On Sunday morning, just before dawn. Um..."
"At four-fifteen, to be precise, she said. "It was bothering me.
What could be the difference between a sign and a symbol? Somebody asked me
that a couple of weeks ago, and I can't get it out of my mind. I was getting
undressed for bed, and I suddenly remembered. I can't sleep until I find out.
Can you explain it? The difference between a sign and a symbol?"
"Let me think," I said and gazed up at the ceiling. Even when I
was fully conscious, explaining things logically to Sumire was never easy.
"The emperor is a symbol of Japan. Do you follow that?"
"Sort of," she replied.
"'Sort of' won't cut it. That's what it says in the Japanese constitution,"
I said, as calmly as possible. "No room for discussion or doubts. You've
got to accept that, or we won't get anywhere."
"Gotcha. I'll accept that."
"Thank you. So--the emperor is a symbol of Japan. But this doesn't mean
that the emperor and Japan are equivalent. Do you follow?"
"I don't get it."
"OK, how about this--the arrow points in one direction. The emperor is
a symbol of Japan, but Japan is not the symbol of the emperor. You understand
that, right?"
"I guess."
"Say, for instance, you write 'The emperor is a sign of Japan.' That
makes the two equivalent. So when we say 'Japan,' it would also mean 'the
emperor,' and when we speak of the emperor, it would also mean 'Japan.' In
other words, the two are interchangeable. Same as saying, 'A equals b, so
b equals a.' That's what a sign is."
"So you're saying you can switch the emperor and Japan? Can you do that?"
"That's not what I mean," I said, shaking my head vigorously on
my end of the line. "I'm just trying to explain the best I can. I'm not
planning to switch the emperor and Japan. It's just a way of explaining it."
"Hmm," Sumire said. "I think I get it. As an image. It's the
difference between a one-way street and a two-way street."
"For our purposes, that's close enough."
"I'm always amazed how good you are at explaining things."
"That's my job,' I said. My words seemed somehow flat and stale. "You
should try being an elementary-school teacher sometime. You'd never hnagine
the kind of questions I get. 'Why isn't the world square?' 'Why do squids
have ten legs and not eight?' I've learned to come up with an answer to just
about everything.
"You must be a great teacher."
"I wonder," I said. I really did wonder.
*********************************************
Here is some language about the role of the emperor:
The constitution of Japan, which came into effect in 1947, is based on the
principles of popular
sovereignty, respect for fundamental human rights, and the advocacy of peace.
Japan's political
system is one of constitutional democracy. In accordance with the principle
of "separation of
powers," the activities of the national government are formally divided
into legislative,
judicial, and executive organs.
The Emperor is "the symbol of the State and unity of the people."
The Emperor appoints the
Prime Minister and Chief Judge of the Supreme Court as designated by the Diets,
and performs
"only such acts in matters of state" as provided for in the Constitution
along with the advice
and approval of the Cabinet, such as promulgation of amendments of the constitution,
laws,
cabinet orders and treaties, convocation of the Diets, dissolution of the House
of
Representatives, and so forth.
The Constitution of Japan proclaims a system of representative democracy in
which the Diet is
"the highest organ of state power." It is formally specified that
the Diet, as the core of Japan's
system of governance, takes precedence over the government's executive branch.
The
designation of the Prime Minister, who heads the executive branch, is done by
resolution of the
Diet. Japan practices a system of parliamentary Cabinet by which the Prime Minister
appoints
the majority of the Cabinet members from among members of the Diet. The Cabinet
thus works
in solidarity with the Diet and is responsible to it. In this respect, the system
is similar to that
of Great Britain, but different from that of the United States, where the three
branches of
government are theoretically on a level of perfect equality.
The Diet is divided into two chambers: The lower chamber, or the House of Representatives,
and the upper chamber, or the House of Councillors. The House of Representatives
may introduce "no confidence motions" with respect to the Cabinet.
The Cabinet, on the other hand, is able to dissolve the House of Representatives.
It also has the authority to designate the Chief Judge and appoint the other
judges of the Supreme Court. It is the Supreme Court that determines the constitutionality
of any law of official act. The constitution authorizes the Diet to "set
up an impeachment court from among the members of both Houses in order to try
any judges against whom removal proceedings have been instituted."