Shingo Haketa

Summary

Shingo Haketa (羽毛田 信吾, Haketa Shingo, born 5 April 1942) is a Japanese bureaucrat. He served as Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency from 1 April 2005 to 1 June 2012.

Appointed by Prime Minister Junichirō Koizumi, promoter of absolute primogeniture, Haketa is known as a supporter of the report submitted by the Advisory Council on Imperial Household Act [ja], recommending absolute primogeniture.[1] He criticized Prince Tomohito of Mikasa for his comment that agnatic primogeniture should be kept, and requested the members of the Imperial House to refrain from expressing their opinion on the succession. Right after the birth of Prince Hisahito of Akishino, he commented that the newborn prince would not solve the succession crisis, and insisted that the law be changed. In November 2011, he held a meeting with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to discuss the possibility for allowing women to head branches of the Imperial House (rather than to lose imperial status upon marriage), in order to replenish the number of imperial members who can help fulfill the court-related duties[2]

He had worked at the Ministry of Health until he was installed as Vice-Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency in 2001. Among his senior workers at the Ministry of Health is Teijiro Furukawa [ja], a member of the Advisory Council on the Imperial Household Law. Haketa announced his retirement effective 1 June 2012, and was replaced by Noriyuki Kazaoka.[3][4]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ On the name of the committee:Takahashi, Hiroshi (2008). "Akihito and the Problem of Succession". In Shillony, Ben-Ami (ed.). The Emperors of Modern Japan (snippet). BRILL. p. 314. ISBN 978-90-04-16822-0. Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichirō in December 2004 set up a panel of experts, the kōshitsu tempan ni kansuru yūshikisha kaigi (Advisory Council on Imperial Household Law), ISBN 978-90-04-16822-0
  2. ^ "Imperial succession debate must resume". Yomiuri Shimbun online. 26 November 2011.
  3. ^ Kyodo News, "Emperor's chief steward to retire". Japan Times. 22 May 2012. p. 2.
  4. ^ Jiji Press, "Imperial Household Agency gets new chief". Yomiuri Shimbun online. 26 May 2012.
Political offices
Preceded by
Toshio Yuasa
Grand Steward
2005–2012
Succeeded by
Noriyuki Kazaoka