[Special Feature: On the Imperial Household] The Crown Prince as Seen by Shinzo Koizumi: From the Letters to Michiji Tajima Not Included in the Collected Works

Image: His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Akihito (now Emperor Emeritus) with educational advisors and chamberlains (second from left in the front row is Shinzo Koizumi; the Crown Prince is two seats away). (Collection of the Keio Institute for Fukuzawa Studies)

Shinzo Koizumi, who served as the President of Keio University for a long period spanning the war years, was appointed on February 26, 1949, as the Permanent Advisor for the Education of the Crown Prince, the person responsible for the education of Crown Prince Akihito (now Emperor Emeritus). Michiji Tajima, who was then the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency, is cited as a person with whom Koizumi began exchanging many letters around the time of his appointment.

Many of Koizumi's letters to Tajima convey the Crown Prince's condition in detail. There are 59 letters to Tajima in the possession of the Tajima family alone, but only 20 of them are included in the "Complete Works of Shinzo Koizumi" (published 1967–72). Among the letters not included in the complete works, three (one of which is a draft manuscript) were introduced at the "120th Anniversary of Birth: Shinzo Koizumi Exhibition" held at Keio University in 2008 (the exhibits are featured in "Album Shinzo Koizumi" [Keio University Press, 2009]), but many unknown letters exist, particularly those reporting on the Crown Prince's activities during his travels abroad. Here, I would like to introduce six letters (①–⑥) that have not been made public, including in the complete works and the previous Koizumi exhibition.

From these letters, one can see Koizumi's strong expectations for the Crown Prince and his joy at the Prince's growth. In particular, there are many descriptions of how the Prince interacted with people, reporting his attitude of being considerate of others and attempting to communicate proactively. Just as Koizumi wrote "Be a model of good manners" at the end of his "Memorandum on Lectures to the Prince," and as stated in Yukichi Fukuzawa's "On the Imperial Household," which he used as teaching material, "Our Imperial Household is the center for gathering the spirit of the Japanese people," Koizumi devoted his heart to the education of the Emperor for a new era that would enhance the dignity of the citizens. The Crown Prince responded to these expectations of Koizumi and continued his preparations to become the Emperor of a new era.

For ease of reading, sokuon (double consonants) have been changed to small characters, and voiced sound marks, punctuation, and furigana have been supplemented. Omitted characters and word notes are indicated by [ ]. Additionally, indentations not present in the original text have been added.

*In the ONLINE version, Chinese numerals have been changed to Arabic numerals for ease of reading.

Dear Sir, I have received your letter.

According to your letter, it seems I possess favorable conditions, but surely there is a degree of favoritism involved. At this time, useless humility is a foolish thing, and I have no intention of putting anyone through such pointless trouble.

I believe that health is the first requirement above all else.

I am in a state where I can read and write at home whenever I want without any constraints, but regular duty is impossible.

The other day, there was a suggestion that special arrangements could be made for me, citing Mrs. Vining's example, but that would set a bad precedent. I believe that anyone working for an organization, regardless of rank, should be diligent and hardworking. Especially for those in leadership, even if the organization is small, it is essential to have the mindset of being the first to labor and the last to enjoy; only then can one tighten and inspire the hearts of people. I feel guilty even about receiving a car to take me to Koganei [where the Crown Prince's temporary residence and the Gakushuin Middle School were located] for the monthly advisory meeting. If it is so for someone treated as a guest like an advisor, how much more so for someone in a position who must set an example for those above and below. Even if others were to permit it, I could never be satisfied with a performance where I only give 50% or 70% of my heart and soul. When I wrote in a passage of the letter I sent the other day, "...As for myself, I simply cannot bear to perform my duties insufficiently while constantly making excuses and pacing myself," this is what I meant. Since Mrs. Vining's example was brought up then, I actually thought about it. It may be because I am timid, but I am always particularly nervous about and deeply dislike receiving things like exceptional treatment or exceptional care. Even if you recognize that I am worth treating specially, I cannot go around convincing every single person of that, and even if people were convinced, I personally dislike being placed in such a position more than others. Not only that, but the hearts of people truly begin to slacken from unexpected places. If I were to take a certain role and receive better or more lenient treatment than what that role normally receives, I believe the influence would be anything but good. At the very least, in such a case, I am of a nature to doubt the authority of my own words. You may think I am obsessing over trivialities. However, I suspect that you, in your position at the Imperial Household Office, intend to demonstrate to others that even trivialities should not be neglected from now on. Thinking about these points further, despite your kind intentions, I believe myself to be unfit for the position.

I feel apologetic that I have not progressed at all from the letter I sent the other day. However, as I hope you understand, I thought about it a great deal before writing that letter.

Please convey what I have said to Professor M and Professor I as the occasion permits. I have not yet spoken much with Professor M, but I believe Professor I might have some degree of understanding regarding my nervousness.

I moved around a bit too much yesterday and felt slightly unwell last night, so I am staying quiet today. In short, I believe it is not yet time for a convalescent [patient in recovery] to take the stage.

August 20

Shinzo Koizumi

To Mr. Michiji Tajima

(Commentary) A letter of refusal for the appointment as Grand Master of the Crown Prince's Household. The Grand Master is the head of the Board of the Crown Prince's Affairs, the household agency for the Crown Prince's family. Koizumi received the inquiry from Tajima but continued to firmly decline, as he disliked the idea of not being able to fulfill his duties perfectly while his health was not at its best. Two letters politely declining the request remain, and this is one of them. Koizumi eventually accepted the position of Permanent Advisor for the Education of the Crown Prince, which was not a formal government post, after a compromise. It is said that Tajima visited Koizumi at least nine times to persuade him with "soul-stirring persistence" (Michiji Tajima, "Remembering My Friend Koizumi," Shin, Vol. 19, No. 7). Mrs. Vining (Elizabeth Janet Gray Vining) was the Crown Prince's English teacher. Gakushuin Middle School moved from Mejiro to Koganei in 1946, the year the Crown Prince enrolled, due to damage from the war, and the Crown Prince stayed in the student dormitory (Seimei-ryo) there from his time in the Senior High School. "Professor M" and "Professor I" are thought to be George Matsumoto, a commercial law scholar and Koizumi's brother-in-law, and Seihin Ikeda, former Governor of the Bank of Japan and Chair, Keio University Board of Councillors, respectively.

I congratulate you on the long imperial tour finally reaching its final stage, and I deeply sympathize with the mental and physical hardships you face daily.

I observe His Majesty the Emperor's daily diligence through newspapers and telegrams, and I find it most awe-inspiring. Regarding the situation of the welcomes in various places, it seems American magazines are more detailed than the Tokyo Shimbun. I am enclosing a clipping from "Time" (June 6 issue), which you may have already seen, for your perusal.

There is no change in Tokyo. Today was the scheduled day for me to visit the dormitory in Koganei to dine and converse with His Highness and the other students, but since everyone is visiting the museum today, we cancelled the meeting.

Yesterday, I was invited to Mrs. Vining's residence. This was the scheduled day for His Highness's English lesson, but as an experiment by Mrs. Vining, she invited two boys she knows well (American and Australian) to play with His Highness and also to have afternoon tea together. I agreed with this idea and attended the gathering. The American boy is Tony Austin, and the Australian boy is John O’Brien. Tony is the son of a scholar working at the Natural Resources Section of G.H.Q., and John is the son of a Brigadier General. Both are the same age as the Crown Prince or one year younger. Tony is a plump and humorous fellow, while John is a terribly tall, composed boy. In addition, classmates Hashimoto and Shiba were also present.

The game was 'Monopoly,' a game of buying and selling land, mortgaging, rescuing the poor, and paying taxes. His Highness played very cheerfully, laughing heartily at Tony's comical words and actions. He also spoke in English with his fellow Japanese companions, and when his turn came, he would take the dices and pass them to the next person (John). John would answer "Thank you" and shake them. Depending on the result of the dice, His Highness would sometimes make payments or receive them, and the way he would receive the cards used as currency while answering "Thank you" was extremely natural. Mrs. Vining nodded frequently in satisfaction. Once, he did not understand the word "mortgage," and when the lady asked me for an explanation and I said "teito," His Highness asked back, "Teito?" I explained further in detail, and he finally understood. Later, Mrs. Vining, her sister, and I had a great laugh, saying, "The Crown Prince hasn't had anything with mortgage, has he?"

After the game ended, there was a treat of sweets, sandwiches, and fruit juice downstairs. By Mrs. Vining's design, only the boys were in the dining room. His Highness was at one end of the table, with Tony and John on his left and right, followed by Shiba and Hashimoto. We adults were in the next room, occasionally listening to the conversation in the dining room while drinking fruit juice and Coca-Cola. The conversation in the dining room never ceased, and laughter was heard frequently. His Highness spoke about catching fish with a harpoon shot by a rubber string in the sea at Numazu, leading the conversation for quite a long time. Mrs. Vining, her sister, and I looked at each other and nodded with smiles many times. His Highness's favorite phrase was "Have you ever seen...?" and he asked the two foreign boys various questions. After about two hours in total, he shook hands with everyone, expressed polite words of thanks to the lady and her sister, and returned home. I left at the same time, so I haven't heard what happened after that, but the lady's satisfaction was fully apparent, and there is no doubt the two boys enjoyed themselves greatly.

I shall tell you the rest when we meet. Sincerely.

June 9

Shinzo Koizumi

To my old friend Tajima

I have received your postcard from Kagoshima. I wish you continued good health.

(Commentary) A letter reporting on the Crown Prince's interaction with foreign boys at Mrs. Vining's residence. It conveys the state of the Crown Prince as a first-year high school student proactively trying to communicate in English.

Dear Sir,

It was truly a pleasure to have a pleasant chat after such a long time the other night.

Today was again the scheduled day for research reports by the Seimei-ryo students, so I went out in the evening. There were two presenters, one of whom was His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince. His research topic was Montaigne. The summary of my critique is as follows.

His Highness had a poor start to his report (referring to his frequent stuttering and clearing of his throat), and for a moment I worried how it would go. However, after he got started, his tone was good, and both his logic and terminology were refined; I believe it was a good report. French thinkers like Montaigne and Pascal differ in flavor from German philosophers; they truly feel like "wise men," and it was a pleasure for me to touch upon their intellectual experiences.

In his report, His Highness described how the problems of reason and faith, and Greek philosophy and Christianity, were considered by Montaigne. It was quite interesting that he pointed out how Montaigne did not arrogantly say "I doubt," but expressed his thought with the words "What do I know?" (Que sais-je?). Incidentally, there has recently been something called "Que Sais-je?" literature, and I had thought it simply meant "What do I know?", but I learned from the report that the phrase originates from Montaigne.

Next, regarding the manner of the report, his speech was clear, but at times he became a bit fast-paced, making it difficult to catch some parts. I have previously advised that when reading notes, he should not just look at the notes, but should occasionally look away from them and speak to the audience while consulting them. Although I could recognize traces of His Highness's efforts to do so, it is still insufficient in this regard, and I believe he should be careful about this in the future. It would be even better if he produced his voice more thickly and strongly. That is all.

I asked His Highness a question about what he had mainly read, and he replied it was the "Essays" and the "Conversation with Epictetus." "Did you read them in the original?" "No, in translation." "I hear Montaigne's French is excellent. It would be good if you read a bit of the original as well," and so on. It was a pleasant evening again. In haste.

Night of the 1st

Shinzo

To my old friend Tajima

(Commentary) A letter conveying the Crown Prince's research presentation during his high school years. Montaigne was a 16th-century French thinker, and "Que sais-je?" is a phrase that appears in his major work, "Essays." Koizumi also listened to the research presentation of the Crown Prince's younger brother, Prince Masahito (Prince Hitachi), and wrote his impressions of that in a letter to Tajima as well (January 28 of the same year).

(Omitted)

On the evening of [May] 17th, His Highness returned to the capital from the North [Northumberland]. I went to King's Cross Station with the Ambassador to meet him, and he did not seem to have changed much since leaving Japan. The change was markedly felt when he entered among foreigners, as noted below.

The next morning, we set out in a line of cars to accompany him on a visit to Oxford. (Chamberlain Mitani also participated, planning a day trip.) There was nothing special to note about the visits to Windsor Castle and Eton College on the way. At Windsor, a detachment of Guards wearing red coats and bearskin hats lined up before His Highness and saluted at the command "Present your arms!" (Omitted)

At Oxford, His Highness was magnificent and conducted himself perfectly. In the chat with the 50 or 60 students mentioned above, His Highness proactively threw himself into their group and spoke with them with apparent interest. Watching this, there was this passage in a conversation with Dr. Goodhart: Since the Crown Prince is always surrounded by grown-ups, he seems to enjoy himself immensely when he happens to be among peers of the same age. Indeed, it is like a fish being thrown back into the water, etc. (Omitted)

After [the meal] ended, there was a reception at the Master's [Goodhart's] residence. There were men and women—some said 60 or 70, others said 100—including university officials, prominent people of Oxford city, and officers from nearby regiments. The men were in tuxedos and the women in décolleté; among the women were some who seemed quite young and beautiful. His Highness did not stay in one place; at times he proactively approached and spoke to people, and people told me he was "wonderful," "so natural," "dignified," or "charming." His Highness's English is not exactly fluent; he speaks while humming "uh-uh" and thinking, but he can freely create topics and speak. Although his expressions cannot escape Japanese habits, he is fully able to enjoy and make others enjoy the conversation. I feel that if he polishes it a bit more, it will become the real thing.

The next day, he observed the tutorial system unique to Oxford and Cambridge. The tutor was a man in his late 30s named Alington (sic), said to be the son of a former headmaster of Eton, who was blunt but charming. The instruction takes place in his room. He sits in an easy chair by the electric stove in a posture close to lounging, while two students sit somewhat more formally on a sofa facing the stove. His Highness sat facing Alington, while Matsui and I listened from slightly behind. When one of the students began reading a paper he had prepared, Alin immediately interrupted, critiquing and lecturing. The topic was the operation of the parliamentary system, and things like the committee system and the neutrality of the Speaker were frequently discussed. He even suddenly asked His Highness a question: "Have you been in the House of Commons?" His Highness might have taken it to mean the Japanese Diet, as he answered "Yes," then corrected it to "No." Of course, it is impossible for him to have understood all the exchanges with this student, but it could be seen from his expression that he followed to some extent. After this, the Master invited a student who seemed to be a scholar to lunch and had him sit next to His Highness. During the meal, His Highness still spoke well and also complimented the hostess, saying the sweets were excellent. (Omitted)

(Commentary) A report on the Crown Prince's visit to Oxford. From March to October 1953, the Crown Prince visited Western European countries, including Britain, to attend the coronation of Queen Elizabeth as the representative of Emperor Showa. Koizumi also conducted a tour of Europe and America at the recommendation of Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida to coincide with this trip, meeting the Crown Prince frequently at his destinations. "Goodhart" is A. L. Goodhart (Arthur Lehman Goodhart), a legal philosopher who served as the Master of University College, Oxford. "Matsui" is Akira Matsui, a counselor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who accompanied the tour.

His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince finally departs this afternoon for Paris. During his stay in Britain, except for a cold in Oxford, he was healthy throughout. When he had leisure, he went out for sightseeing and shopping without showing signs of fatigue; I felt he is indeed a young man.

His attendance at the coronation, the banquets before and after, and his viewing of the horse races all concluded without a hitch. Besides performing his duties well, His Highness seems to have enjoyed himself considerably. I saw him constantly while here, but as the schedule was packed, there was no leisure to talk slowly just the two of us, so I look forward to another day. The teamwork of all the attendants under the leadership of Grand Chamberlain Mitani was excellent, and I felt it was truly pleasant. I heard later that there was some friction between the immediate staff and one or two proactive young people in the embassy at first, but His Highness's cold actually became the catalyst for reconciliation.

I believe the welcome for His Highness by the British people and the Royal Family should be described as appropriate (..). I believe you have seen the photo of His Highness watching the horse races with the Queen. Regarding this, when I heard the details, at first His Highness was watching from a separate box, but then a court official came and asked, "If you would like, would you care to watch the next second race (.....) together with Her Majesty the Queen?" His Highness responded and went; I felt that a certain limit was placed there. This is something I discussed with Mitani, and I think it is something we should keep in mind. Regarding the aforementioned photo, I am concerned that Japanese newspapers might treat His Highness watching the races with the Queen as a huge deal, but it will likely turn out exactly as I fear. Is it not unseemly if British newspapers do not make a fuss over a photo of the Queen and the Japanese Crown Prince, while only Japanese newspapers make a huge fuss? At any rate, the comfort of staying here is extremely good, and His Highness seems to agree. I hope Mr. Usami's overseas trip will definitely be realized. I plan to go to Paris around the 10th of next month. Morning of June 9

Shinzo Koizumi

(Commentary) A letter from London conveying the state of the hospitality for the Crown Prince in Britain. "Grand Chamberlain Mitani" is Takanobu Mitani. "Mr. Usami" is Takeshi Usami, the Vice Steward of the Imperial Household Agency, who later served as the Grand Steward as Tajima's successor. The Crown Prince watched the Derby with the British Royal Family on June 6, and as Koizumi mentions, it graced the pages of major Japanese newspapers the following day.

I have returned as far as Chicago. I am uncertain whether this letter will reach Japan before I do, but I am writing a quick note in a spare moment. I said goodbye to His Highness on September 21st at Grand Central Station in New York. Today, I believe he is resting at the Rockefeller Ranch in Wyoming.

His Highness's conduct in the United States was magnificent throughout, and on several occasions, I felt it was truly beyond reproach. The impact of a month of hard work on his health was my greatest concern, but he showed no significant fatigue. I understand well that His Highness is working hard, and it is a blessing that he has endured it so well. It was fortunate that the intense American heat subsided before his arrival. However, there were days I thought were quite hot.

When he placed a wreath before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, I watched from behind, mingling with the spectators. It was at this moment that I thought it was truly beyond reproach. The grand banquet in New York was also magnificent throughout. I was absent during the Boston visit, but I suspect New York was perhaps his best performance (though Mrs. Vining also praises His Highness in Boston highly). In New York, facing an audience of over a thousand, the hosts and guests of honor lined up in a row on the platform, while we sat in the second row. Mrs. Vining sat two seats to my right. When the meeting ended, people approached her to shake hands, saying "Congratulations" or "You must be satisfied," and you can imagine His Highness's performance by the congratulations offered to her. That evening, Ambassador Araki and Secretary Dulles also gave speeches, but Mr. Dulles's went too far into politics with some parts that were better left unsaid, and while the main point of Mr. Araki's was very good, there were parts that were difficult to hear. The next night, Mrs. Vining came to my hotel room for dinner. The three of us, including my wife, spoke frankly. When I said that His Highness's English pronunciation might be better than the Ambassador's, the lady affirmed this with her usual gentle but clear words and expression. Two or three days later, I was invited to lunch by John Rockefeller and we spoke just the two of us over the table. During the conversation, Mr. Rockefeller, with his usual habit of blinking his eyes, prefaced by saying, "I feel bad for Mr. Araki saying this," and said the same thing as I did. As you can imagine, I affirmed this just as Mrs. Vining had. (Strictly confidential) Naturally, Americans would not go out of their way to say things to me that we would not like, and I am not the type to get carried away just by counting such compliments, but at any rate, he gave a good impression to people, and I think it is fair to recognize the psychology of Americans wanting to receive a good impression. One day, at a lunch where I was invited by professors from Columbia University, one professor asked me what His Highness might have been most surprised by in America. I replied that since His Highness had been taught by Mrs. Vining and had a general knowledge of American history and systems, nothing in that regard came to mind as particularly surprising. If I had to say, it might be the overwhelming scale of the escort, with motorcycle police leading and flanking His Highness's car and blowing sirens to stop the flow of traffic; the people laughed.

This is the situation for now. If there are items among the above that are acceptable to be reported to the Emperor, I would like you to translate them into appropriate language and speak of them accordingly.

I fly to San Francisco tomorrow. If possible, I plan to decline guests for four days, read documents, write letters, and organize my thoughts a bit, then board the Pan Am on October 1st and return to the capital on the 3rd. To be honest, it was a chore to leave Japan, but it is also a chore to return.

I pray for your health. Morning of September 26, in my hotel room

Shinzo

To my old friend Michiji

◎ It is most pleasant that the accompanying staff have a good reputation everywhere and are gathering respect and affection in various places. I add this specifically.

(Commentary) A letter reporting on the Crown Prince's activities in various parts of America. It details his appearance at the welcome dinner in New York in particular. "Ambassador Araki" is Eikichi Araki, the Ambassador to the United States. Mrs. Vining had already returned to America, and Koizumi reunited with her for the first time in three years during this trip. "John Rockefeller" is John D. Rockefeller III, who served as the Chairman of the Rockefeller Foundation.