Grand Steward's Secretariat
The Grand Steward's Secretariat (長官官房, Chōkan-kanbō) is the head department of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan.
History
The origins of the structure of the Imperial Household can be traced back to the reign of Emperor Monmu, with the organisation of the government structure in 701 AD.[1]
Prince Naruhito, in May 2004, criticized the then-Grand Steward, Toshio Yuasa, for putting pressure on Masako Owada, Naruhito's wife, to bear a male child. At a press conference, Naruhito said that his wife had "completely exhausted herself" trying to adapt to royal life, and added "there were developments that denied Masako's career (up to our marriage) as well as her personality".[2][3][4]
Organisation
The Grand Steward (長官, Chōkan) is the head of the secretariat, and is responsible for managing the part of the household staff who are omote (おもて), or "outside the house"; these employees serve as drivers, cooks, gardeners, or administrative officials.[2]
The secretariat is composed of these divisions:
- Secretariat
- General Affairs
- Imperial Princes' Household Affairs
- Accounting
- Supplies
- Hospital of the Imperial Household
Grand Stewards
| Number | Name | term of office | ex-service | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Stewards of the Imperial Household Office | ||||
| 1 | Matsudaira Yoshitami | 3 May 1947 – 5 Jun 1948 | Imperial Household Ministry | |
| 2 | Tajima Michiji | 5 Jun 1948 – 31 May 1949 | Civilian | cont. |
| Grand Stewards of the Imperial Household Agency | ||||
| 1 | Michiji Tajima | 1 Jun 1949 – 16 Dec 1953 | Civilian | |
| 2 | Takeshi Usami | 16 Dec 1953 – 26 May 1978 | Home Ministry | |
| 3 | Tomohiko Tomita | 26 May 1978 – 14 Jun 1988 | National Police Agency | |
| 4 | Shōichi Fujimori | 14 Jun 1988 – 19 Jan 1996 | Ministry of Welfare, Environment Agency | |
| 5 | Sadame Kamakura | 19 Jan 1996 – 2 Apr 2001 | National Police Agency | |
| 6 | Toshio Yuasa | 2 Apr 2001 – 1 Apr 2005 | Ministry of Home Affairs | |
| 7 | Shingo Haketa | 1 Apr 2005 – 1 Jun 2012 | Ministry of Health | |
| 8 | Noriyuki Kazaoka | 1 Jun 2012 – 26 Sep 2016 | Ministry of Construction | |
| 9 | Shin'ichirō Yamamoto | 26 Sep 2016 – | Ministry of Home Affairs | |
References
- History of the Imperial Household Agency Archived 2007-12-15 at the Wayback Machine at the Imperial Household Agency official site
- The Future of Japan's Monarchy, Time Asia Magazine
- Imperial family exposed to media speculation in 2004, Japan Policy and Politics, 10 Jan 2005
- Crown prince back in Japan, will not meet press, Japan Policy and Politics, May 24, 2004
External links
- Imperial Household Agency | Grand Steward's Secretariat
- Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), "Statement by the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household," 1 December 2001