FOCUS: Emperor's vow to abide by basic law provokes backlashes

(EDS: THIS IS THE 1ST OF 4 ARTICLES ON THE IMPERIAL FAMILY SINCE THE START OF HEISEI ERA IN 1989)

''The basis of the emperor system is not the Constitution but the idea of an unbroken line of emperors. His Majesty has said what ought not to be said,'' a business executive and self-styled supporter of the imperial family with close ties to the family said with an agonizing look.

The emperor made the pledge in a ceremony at the Imperial Palace attended by Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita and other dignitaries on Jan. 9, 1989, saying, ''I pledge to abide by the Constitution together with you all and carry out my duties according to it.''

It was a drastic change from the era of his father, the late Emperor Hirohito posthumously known as Emperor Showa, who assumed the throne in 1926 and conveyed the imperial message to the subject.

Nobuo Ishihara, deputy chief Cabinet secretary, who oversaw the change of the imperial era, praised Emperor Akihito's pledge, saying, ''The atmosphere of the new era 'Heisei' could be felt, and many people supported it.''

The era name is based on quotations from the Chinese classics ''Shi ji'' (book of history) and ''Shu Jing'' (book of document) that signify the attainment of peace in heaven and on the Earth, both at home and abroad.

The emperor's speech was decided on at a Cabinet meeting after numerous consultations were said to be made among the prime minister's office, the Imperial Household Agency and the Cabinet Legislation Bureau.

But Ishihara said, ''It was decided on after numerous scrutiny between His Majesty and Mr. (Shoichi) Fujimori who was familiar with the government's intention.'' Fujimori was then the grand steward of the Imperial Household.

As Ishihara's predecessor, Fujimori had prepared behind the scenes for the death of Emperor Hirohito, including the choice of a new imperial era name. He was sent to the agency by Chief Cabinet Secretary Masaharu Gotoda under the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and Prime Minister Takeshita ''in anticipation of the change in the imperial era,'' said a high-ranking government official.

Fujimori has remained tight-lipped about the matter, and a senior Imperial Household Agency official said, ''Each word (in the emperor's speech) was a reflection of the emperor's intention.''

The speech was polished up in easy and brief language by incorporating his personal principles since the era of the crown prince -- ''successor of the imperial family's tradition,'' ''abidance of the Constitution'' and ''together with the people.'' The language ''together with the people'' was replaced by ''together with you all.''

In 1994 before visiting the United States, Emperor Akihito said in a reply in writing about the status of the symbol of the state stipulated in the Constitution, ''I accept this destiny and will try to always seek what a desirable symbol should be.''

The speech of the abidance of the Constitution was the bastion of the new emperor to step forward as the symbol of the state.

But Japanese lawmakers and scholars seeking a constitutional revision to make the emperor the head of the state were nervous, saying, ''Why should His Majesty get to say to abide by the Constitution,'' said one of them.

An aide to the emperor said, ''The Heisei era was also the beginning of a conflict with the force seeking to deify the emperor and strengthen the emperor system.''