A comparison with Japan in 1944 suggests Iran will resist fiercely and try to prolong the war to preserve its regime, while the United States risks strategic failure without a clear plan for victory. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/03/12/japan/iran-today-like-1944-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #donaldtrump #iran #japan #pacificwar #potsdamdeclaration #us #dec7 #imperialjapan #israel #venezuela #emperorhirohito #alikhamenei #worldwarii #middleeast
Today’s Iran is like Japan in 1944

Iran, like Imperial Japan, is mounting what could be called fanatical and tenacious resistance against overwhelmingly powerful U.S. military attacks.

The Japan Times

Three Sacred Treasures

This is the imperial regalia of Japan. They consist of: the sword (Kusanagi no Tsurugi), the mirror (Yata no Kagami), & the jewel (Yasakani no Magatama).

They represent the 3 main virtues: valor (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), & benevolence (the jewel).

The historical status of the Sacred Treasures isn’t known. The treasures are kept from public view, intentionally, to symbolize authority.

According to legends, these treasures were brought to Earth by Ninigi-no-Mikoto, legendary ancestor of the Japanese imperial line. When his grandma Amaterasu, the sun goddess, sent him to pacify Japan.

These treasures were eventually said to be passed down to Emperor Jimmu, who was the 1st Emperor of Japan & Ninigi’s great-grandson.

Traditionally, they were a symbol of the emperor’s divinity as a descendant of Amaterasu. This confirms his legitimacy as the paramount ruler of Japan. The 3 Treasures are a symbol that the Emperor should unite the ethnic groups without discrimination.

When Amaterasu hid in a cave from her, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, plunging the world into darkness, the goddess Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto hung the mirror & jewels outside the cave & lured her out of hiding.

When she came out of the cave, Amaterasu was so startled by her reflection in the mirror that it gave the gods an opportunity to get her the rest of the way out of the cave.

Susanoo later gave Amaterasu the sword, Kusanagi, to Amaterasu as a token of apology. Susanoo got the sword from the body of an 8-headed serpent, Yamata no Orochi.

The Imperial Regalia (3 Sacred Treasures) are VERY important. Emperor Hirohito told Koichi Kido on July 35 & 31, 1945 (at the end of WWII), the Emperor ordered the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan to protect them “at all costs.”

When the Supreme Commander for the Allied Forces got to Japan, Emperor Hirohito’s greatest fear was that the 3 Sacred Treasures would go to the enemy. The Emperor even expressed his readiness to jump into the sea with the treasures & die, if it would come to that.

Since 690, the presentation of these 3 things to the Emperor by the priests at the shrine has been the main event of the enthronement ceremony, or coronation. This ceremony isn’t public. Also these items are traditionally seen only by the Emperor & certain priests.

Their individual locations aren’t actually known. It’s thought that the sword is located at the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, the jewel’s at the 3 Palace Sanctuaries in Kokyo (the Imperial Palace in Tokyo), & the mirror is at the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture.

Their 1st post-WWII enthronement ceremony appearance happened during the ascension & enthronement of Akihito in 1989 & 1990. Except for their presence during the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito. He formally took possession of the regalia in a brief ceremony of May 1, 2019.

The Treasures themselves were never seen during these public occasions. They were shrouded from view in boxes or packages. When the Treasures aren’t performing their ceremonial purposes, their alleged locations are off-limits to the public at large.

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Japan's Imperial Household Agency has completed the full official records of Empress Kojun, the wife of former Emperor Hirohito, posthumously called Emperor Showa. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/19/japan/empress-kojun-full-records/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #imperialfamily #empresskojun #empressnagako #emperorhirohito
Japan completes full records of Empress Kojun

The Imperial Household Agency took 17 years to complete the full records for Empress Kojun, the paternal grandmother of Emperor Naruhito.

The Japan Times
Japan Times 2000: Prime minister pitches ‘e-Japan’ as way of life

Japan must “grab the historic opportunity of the IT revolution,” Prime Minister Yoshio Mori declared as the final Diet session of the century opened in September 2000.

The Japan Times
Michiko Suzuki, a granddaughter of former Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki, continues to convey his wish for peace through her writings and lectures. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/21/japan/wwii-japan-prime-minister-granddaughter/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #wwii #kantarosuzuki #emperorhirohito
Granddaughter conveys former wartime prime minister's wish for peace

Michiko Suzuki, a granddaughter of former Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki, continues to convey his wish for peace through her writings and lectures.

The Japan Times
Emperor Showa had a cautious view of then U.S. President Richard Nixon's plan to visit China in 1972, a declassified document showed. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/02/11/japan/history/japan-emperor-showa-nixon-china-visit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #history #emperorhirohito #richardnixon #usjapanrelations #china
Emperor Showa was cautious about Nixon's 1972 visit to China, document shows

That the emperor voiced his own position on the visit to China may raise questions about diplomacy involving the imperial family.

The Japan Times