My favorite phrase: Ask, and it shall be given.

Q: Why did you choose this phrase?

The university where I used to work was a Christian school, and I had the opportunity to encounter the Bible, from which this is a verse. I think it is important to have an attitude of self-exploration in both university and research. In so doing, you will gain something. I encourage all students to knock on the door of your professor's laboratory.

Q: What is your research topic?

I am researching the history of the system of the symbolic emperor. The Constitution of Japan states that the position of the emperor is symbolic, but what does that mean? What does the emperor mean to us? We are studying the history of the emperor and trying to clarify the process that led to the present. I am also studying how the emperor actually thought and acted in this process.

Q: What will this research enable us to do?

In our ordinary, casual lives, we may not be aware of the Imperial System. However, this system, which has continued throughout history, is one of the things that forms the basis of Japanese society and influences various institutions and customs. The Imperial System also reflects a microcosm of the issues Japanese society faces, such as family, work, and human rights. Through this research, I would like to clarify the question of what the emperor means to us, and in addition, would like to elucidate the characteristics of Japanese society.

Q: How did you embark on this research?

Around the time of the change from the Showa to Heisei era, the Chunichi Dragons refrained from holding events related to their victory because the emperor was ill, even though they had won the championship. Seeing this, as an elementary school student and a Dragons fan at the time, I found it strange and became interested in the Imperial System. I decided to make it the subject of my research because when I entered university, my future teacher, Professor Shoji Haga (now Professor Emeritus at Nagoya University), discussed the system of the symbolic emperor (it was about the intentions of the so-called "Declaration of Humanity") in one of his lectures, and I was fascinated by it.

Q: When do you realize that research is interesting or rewarding?

History is a discipline in which you read what was written at the time (historical documents) and based on that, clarify the subject of your research. However, there are many times when what we want to know is not written in historical documents. I sometimes spend the whole day in the library with no results. However, that is why it is such a joy when you find that perfect document. There are also times when I find things that I did not understand by reading a single historical document, but when I read several documents in combination, I come to understand them. I find it interesting when my expected conclusions change as I read the historical materials.

Q: Do you sometimes feel you might surrender to the research challenge?

We publish the results of our research in the form of papers and books. When I was a graduate student, the paper I wrote did not pass the review by the expert professors. I had to rewrite it again and again, but I was really concerned about how to write a sentence that would make people understand my intentions and whether the overall logic was consistent. I felt like I was going to lose. I am slightly more used to it now, but there are still times when I am concerned and suffer in the same way.

Q: With the accession to the throne of the new emperor, you are being asked to comment more in various media. Please tell us about an experience that you can only talk about now.

In the media, I seem to be speaking smoothly, but in reality, I am very nervous. It is actually the same in lectures (LOL). When I started my research, not as much attention was paid to the emperor as there is now, and many times, I thought about quitting this subject. I am glad that I have continued.

Q: What are your goals and ambitions for the future?

We still do not know many things about the system of the symbolic emperor. My goal is to clarify them as much as possible. I would like to introduce the results of this research in my lectures, and provide an opportunity for students to think about the Imperial System. I also hope to learn alongside many undergraduate and graduate students.