天皇在位２０年 敬愛される皇室像が定着した

20 peaceful years with the Emperor
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 12, 2009)
天皇在位２０年　敬愛される皇室像が定着した（11月12日付・読売社説）

The government will hold a ceremony to mark the 20th year of the enthronement of the Emperor at the National Theater of Japan in Tokyo on Thursday.
　天皇陛下の在位２０年を記念する政府主催の式典がきょう１２日、東京・国立劇場で開かれる。

The Emperor assumed the throne on Jan. 7, 1989. However, since the enthronement ceremony was held as a national event on Nov. 12 the following year, the ceremony marking his 20th year on the throne is held on that date.
　陛下は１９８９年１月７日に即位されたが、その翌年、国の儀式として行われた「即位の礼」と同じ日に合わせての開催となる。

On the occasions of the 10th and 15th years of his enthronement, the Emperor said that in comparison with the 10th and 15th years marking his father Emperor Showa's enthronement, he was happy to see the Heisei years pass peacefully in spite of some difficulties and problems.
　陛下は在位１０年、あるいは１５年に当たり、昭和天皇の１０年、１５年とを比較し、平成の時代が「困難や課題を抱えつつも、平穏に過ぎたことを幸せに思います」などと語られてきた。

The global recession is affecting the lives of the Japanese people. We currently face many difficult issues. But, compared with the first 20 years of the Showa era, many people would agree with the sentiments of the Emperor that the Heisei years so far have passed "peacefully."
　世界不況が国民生活に影響を与えている。課題は多いものの、昭和の最初の２０年と比べて「平穏に過ぎた」という感慨は、多くの国民に共通のものだろう。

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Serving the people

The Emperor ascended to the throne as the symbol of the state and the unity of the people under the current Constitution.
　陛下は、現行憲法の下で、象徴天皇として即位した。

The Emperor has often said he thinks the best way to meet the expectations of the public is to serve the state and the people by bearing in mind the constitutional provision that the emperor is the symbol of the state.
常々「象徴であるという憲法の規定を念頭に置きながら国や国民のために尽くすことが、国民の期待にこたえる道であると思っています」と話されている。

The Emperor and the Empress have strived to share the feelings of the people. It is in the last 20 years that the image of the Imperial family as being approachable and respectable has prevailed among the public.
　皇后さまとお二人で、「国民と心を共にする」という姿勢を貫かれてきた。親しみやすく、敬愛される皇室像が国民の間に浸透していった２０年でもある。

The Emperor is very busy every day with a variety of official duties.
　陛下には様々な公務があり、多忙な毎日だ。

He has many occasions to visit local areas to attend National Athletic Meets, tree-planting ceremonies and the other events. The Emperor has visited and talked to people at welfare facilities around the country. He also has ventured to areas hit by natural disasters and has encouraged disaster victims. The Emperor also has traveled to other countries to promote international friendship.
　国体や全国植樹祭など地方訪問の機会が多い。各地の福祉施設を訪ねて入所者に声をかけられ、災害現場に足を運び被災者を励まされてきた。海外を訪問して国際親善にも貢献されている。

The Emperor also has many occasions to meet recipients of decorations and distinguished guests from abroad, and also has to perform Imperial rituals inherited from the emperors before him.
　勲章受章者や外国の賓客にお会いになる回数も多い。天皇に受け継がれてきた宮中祭祀(さいし)もある。

Though the Emperor wholeheartedly believes that such official duties and Imperial rituals are very important, he will turn 76 next month and is not free of health concerns.
　陛下ご自身、こうした公務や宮中祭祀を心から大切にされているが、来月には７６歳を迎える。健康面に不安がないわけではない。

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Agreeable duties

At the beginning of this year, the Imperial Household Agency revealed measures to alleviate the burdens of the Emperor's official duties. We hope the agency will continue to take sufficient care with the Emperor's schedule so that not only he but also the Empress can stay in good health.
　宮内庁は今年初め、公務の負担軽減策を発表した。皇后さまともども、お体にさわらないよう、今後とも、日程などには十分な配慮をしてほしい。

Since Prince Hisahito was born to Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko in 2006, discussions on Imperial succession have settled down. The new government under Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has not referred to the issue.
　秋篠宮ご夫妻に悠仁さまが誕生してから、皇位継承問題の論議は沈静化している。新政権もこの問題に特に言及していない。

Last month, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada urged the Imperial Household Agency to arrange for the Emperor to deliver his own words to some degree at the opening ceremonies of the Diet. But Okada came under criticism from both ruling and opposition party members who said it was inappropriate to make political comments on what the Emperor says.
　先月、岡田外相が国会開会式での陛下のお言葉について、「陛下の思いが少しは入ったお言葉をいただく工夫ができないか」と発言した。与野党から「お言葉を政治的にあれこれ言うのは不適切だ」などと批判が相次いだ。

We think that such criticism is reasonable, as it is based on a point of view that Okada's remark might lead to the political exploitation of the Imperial family. We expect politicians, particularly Cabinet ministers, to be very careful in making remarks regarding the Imperial family.
　皇室の政治的な利用につながりかねないという観点からの批判であり、当然の反応だ。政治家、ことに閣僚は、皇室についての発言は慎重にしてもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 12, 2009)
（2009年11月12日05時06分 読売新聞）