Imperial Biologists: The Imperial Family of Japan and Their Contributions to Biological Research

225 Pages·2019·5.336 MB·English

by  Hideo Mohri

Springer Biographies
Imperial
Biologists
The Imperial Family of Japan
and Their Contributions
to Biological Research
HIDEO MOHRI
Springer Biographies
The books published in the Springer Biographies tell of the life and work of
scholars,innovators,andpioneersinallfields oflearningandthroughout theages.
Prominent scientists and philosophers will feature, but so too will lesser known
personalitieswhosesignificantcontributionsdeservegreaterrecognitionandwhose
remarkable life stories will stir and motivate readers. Authored by historians and
other academic writers, the volumes describe and analyse the main achievements
of their subjects in manner accessible to nonspecialists, interweaving these with
salient aspects of the protagonists’ personal lives. Autobiographies and memoirs
also fall into the scope of the series.
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/13617
Hideo Mohri
Imperial Biologists
The Imperial Family of Japan and Their
Contributions to Biological Research
123
HideoMohri
University of Tokyo
Bunkyo-ku,Tokyo,Japan
Translated by Editorial advisor
Yoko Kawazoe NaotoUeno
Tsukuba,Ibaraki, Japan National Institute for BasicBiology
Okazaki,Aichi, Japan
ISSN 2365-0613 ISSN 2365-0621 (electronic)
SpringerBiographies
ISBN978-981-13-6755-7 ISBN978-981-13-6756-4 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6756-4
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2019932827
TranslationfromtheJapaneselanguageedition:TennoketoSeibutsugakubyHideoMohri©2015Hideo
Mohri,publishedbyAsahiShimbunPublicationsInc.AllRightsReserved.
©SpringerNatureSingaporePteLtd.2019
Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpart
of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations,
recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission
orinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilar
methodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfrom
therelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this
book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the
authorsortheeditorsgiveawarranty,expressorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontainedhereinor
for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to
jurisdictionalclaimsinpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations.
Cover illustration: Front cover—Emperor Akihito engaging in research on gobioid fish in 1984
(CourtesyoftheImperialHouseholdAgency).
Backcover—Above:EmperorShowaexaminingaspecimenofseaurchinattheShimodaImperialVilla
in1985(CourtesyoftheImperialHouseholdAgency);Below:PrinceAkishinoinfrontofthepanelof
fowlsatSOKENDAI(TheGraduateUniversityforAdvancedStudies)(CourtesyofAkifumiOikawa)
ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbytheregisteredcompanySpringerNatureSingaporePteLtd.
The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721,
Singapore
o n
Hisako koAyak mesinJapa
uriko do= Nori usna
Y a o
= m o m
nceMikasakahito) ako PrinceTaka(Norihito) Tsuguk edbyposthu
Pri(Ta Mas call
e
o ar
Tree n eimei Takamatsu=KikukPrince(Nobuhito) hi=HanakoTakako PrinceKatsura(Yoshihito)=Nobuko Yoko erEmperorsandEmpresses
Imperial Family 1Jinmu 122Meiji=Shoke 123Taisho=T 24EmperorShowaEmpressKojun=Prince=SetsukoChichibu(Hirohito)(Nagako)(Yasuhito) 125PrinceHitachikoKazukoAtsukoEmperorEmpress=(Masahito)()()AkihitoMichiko =PrinceKikoceMasakoAkishino=SayakoYasuko(Fumihito)PrinceMikasa(Tomohito) AikoMakoKakoHisahitoAkiko Form
1 gekoSac CrownPrin(Naruhito)
hi
S
Emperor Hirohito (Showa) and his family in 1972. Upper left to lower right. Crown Princess
Michiko, Corwn Pince Akihito, Emperor, Empress Nagako (Kojun), Prince Hitachi, Princess
Hanako,PrincessYoriSayako,PrinceHiroNaruhito,andPrinceAyaFumihito.SourceCourtesy
oftheImperialHouseholdAgency
EmperorAkihitoandhisfamilyin2016.Lefttoright.CrownPrincessMasako,PrincessMako,
Crown Prince Naruhito, Princess Aiko, Emperor, Empress Michiko, Prince Hisahito, Prince
Akishino,PrincessKako,PrincessKiko.SourceCourtesyoftheImperialHouseholdAgency
Preface to the English Edition
It was decided that Emperor Akihito would abdicate the throne on April 30, 2019.
He had expressed his intention to step down primarily as a result of difficulties in
fulfillingofficialdutiesathisadvancedage.EmperorAkihito’ssincereandearnest
commitment to his role can also be seen in his work as a biologist in his taxo-
nomical researches on gobies. His father, the late Emperor Showa (Hirohito), also
conducted outstanding research as a biologist in the taxonomy of marine inverte-
brates, including hydrozoans and slime molds (myxomycetes), even during those
difficultyearsbeforeandafterWorldWarII.PrinceHitachi,theyoungerbrotherof
Emperor Akihito, is an expert in comparative oncology, Prince Akishino, his
second son, is carrying out phylogenetical researches on catfish and fowl and
researchonbiosophiastudies,andSayakoKuroda,hisfirstdaughter,isresearching
birds, including the kingfisher. It is highly unusual that members of three genera-
tionsofonemonarchicalfamilylinehavedevotedthemselvestobiologicalstudies.
We are now hoping that His Majesty the Emperor will be able to enjoy his bio-
logical researches to the fullest after his retirement as Emperor.
The fact that the Emperor is a biologist is only vaguely known, even to the
Japanese people. When I, as a biologist, prepared to publish Tennoke to seibut-
sugaku (The Imperial Family and Biology, Asahi Shimbun Publications, 2015), I
realized that there were only a few works that depicted the Imperial Family
members as biologists. With such limited resources, it is even harder for
non-Japanese people to obtain a clear understanding of the Imperial biologists of
Japan.Giventhesecircumstances,IdecidedtotranslatethisoriginalJapanesebook
intoEnglishinthehopesthatitwillintroducethesincerecontributionsofmembers
oftheJapaneseImperialFamilytothefieldofbiologytotheworld.Thisbookalso
devotes some pages to the International Prize for Biology, which was set up to
commemorate the contributions of the two generations of Emperors to biology.
vii
viii PrefacetotheEnglishEdition
ThecoverimageoftheJapaneseversion,Tennoketoseibut-
sugaku (The Imperial Family and Biology, Asahi Shimbun
Publications,2015)
IampleasedtohavehadthegoodfortunetohavetheEnglishversionpublished
by Springer, thanks to Ms. Yoko Kawazoe, an excellent translator. Several years
have passed since the Japanese version was published; therefore, some additional
material is included. For readers’ reference, the family tree of the Imperial Family
andtwophotographsdepictingmembersoftheImperialFamilyarenewlyaddedat
the beginning. The content and wording have been put forward in as simple a
manner as possible for readers who are unfamiliar with Japanese history and
culture.
Iexpressmythankstothemanypersonsconcerned,includingProf.NaotoUeno
of the National Institute for Basic Biology, Prof. Tetsuji Nakabo of Kyoto
University, and Dr. Hiroshi Namikawa of the National Museum of Nature and
Sciencefortheirhelpwiththetranslation.IalsoexpressmydeepestthankstoMses.
Alexandrine Cheronet, Aiko Hiraguchi, Fumiko Yamaguchi and Momoko Asawa
of Springer, and Yumiko Nara of Asahi Shimbun Publications for their support in
publication.
Tokyo, Japan Hideo Mohri
Preface
In November 2011, Emperor Akihito was hospitalized for two weeks at The
University of Tokyo Hospital for treatment for mycoplasma pneumonia. Deeply
concerned by the disaster of the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011,
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko had continued visiting the quake victims
andafflictedareasalmosteveryweek,inadditiontotheiralreadybusyscheduleof
official duties. One can imagine how tough this must have been, and these events
must have caused fatigue to build up in the Emperor.In February of thefollowing
year, Emperor Akihito had to undergo heart bypass surgery. On March 11, 2012,
still not fully recovered after the surgery, he attended the memorial service to
commemorate the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The fol-
lowing May, he visited the UK to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II.
The Emperor and the Empress were scheduled to attend the award ceremony
of the 27th International Prize for Biology, to be held at the Japan Academy in
Ueno,Tokyo,onNovember28,2011,asoneoftheirofficialduties.Asdescribedin
detail later, this prize was founded in 1985 to commemorate the 60-year reign of
Emperor Showa (Hirohito) and his longtime devotion to biology and to promote
biologicalresearches.Moreover,ontheoccasionofits25thanniversaryin2009,it
was decided that the prize would also honor the path toward the further advance-
mentofbiology,includingincommemorationoftheachievements oftheEmperor
at that time, His Majesty Emperor Akihito, who had strived over many years to
advance the study of the taxonomy of gobioid fishes while contributing continu-
ously to the development of the prize. Emperor Akihito was discharged from the
hospitalonlytwodaysbeforetheawardceremony.Presumably,hisearlydischarge
wasbecauseheintendedtoattendtheceremony.Helookedforwardtoattendingit
everyyearasoneofthebiologists.Unfortunately,hiswishdidnotcometrue,ashe
had still not fully recovered his health, and the ceremony was conducted with the
hastily arranged attendance of the Crown Prince Naruhito on behalf of Emperor
Akihito. Surprisingly, however, the Empress was present at the buffet party cele-
brating the prize winner, as she had been in past years. The Empress told me that
ix