「香淳こうじゅん皇后こうごう実録じつろく」完成かんせい 天皇てんのう皇后こうごう両りょう陛下へいかと上皇じょうこうご夫妻ふさいに奉呈ほうてい

The Imperial Household Agency has completed the Official Record of Empress Kōjun, a chronicle of the activities of Empress Kōjun, consort of Emperor Shōwa, which it had been compiling for 17 years, and presented it to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress as well as the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita.

The content is scheduled to be released on the 9th of next month.

Empress Kōjun was born into the imperial Kuninomiya family in 1903, married the then-Crown Prince later Emperor Shōwa at the age of 20, and passed away in 2000 at the age of 97.

The Empress Kōjuns Official Records is a chronologically organized collection of records, written in a diary-like format based on objective materials, to convey the daily activities and life of the Empress to future generations. The Imperial Household Agency began collecting materials in April 2008 and completed the compilation over a period of 17 years.

The total volume, including the table of contents and legends, comes to 13 books and over 3,800 pages. On the night of the 18th, Imperial Household Agency Director Nishimura presented the bound volumes to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, and on the morning of the 19th, to the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita.

The Kojun Empress Official Record was compiled based on approximately 1,500 materials, including official documents from the Imperial Household Agency and diaries of close aides, as well as interviews with 30 former staff members of the Imperial Household Agency. It is said that, excluding personnel costs, the compilation cost about 56 million yen.

The contents will be released on the 9th of next month, and for the first time in the official records of successive emperors and empresses, they are scheduled to be published on the Imperial Household Agencys website.

The Imperial Chronicles, also known as the Chronicles of the Emperors, began to be compiled after the Meiji era, documenting the records of emperors from Emperor Kōmei onward.

Of these, the Official Record of Emperor Showa was completed by the Imperial Household Agency in 2014 after more than 24 years of work.

On the other hand, in 1936, official records were also compiled about emperors, empresses, and others from before the Meiji era.

Who is Empress Kōjun? Empress Kōjun was born in 1903 into the Kuninomiya family, who were members of the imperial family, and was named Nagako.

In 1918, when she was 14 years old and attending the Gakushuin Girls School, her engagement to the then-Crown Prince, later Emperor Showa, was decided, and in 1924, at the age of 20, she married him.

Two years later, Emperor Taisho passed away, and with the accession of Emperor Showa, she became Empress.

They had seven children, including the Emperor Emeritus and Prince Hitachi.

Before the war and during the turbulent times of the war, she spent her days alongside Emperor Showa, who later became a symbol after the war. Together, they visited various regions for events such as the National Sports Festival and tree-planting ceremonies. She also became the first Empress to serve as Honorary President of the Japanese Red Cross Society, dedicating herself to healthcare and welfare.

In terms of international goodwill, she visited Europe in 1971 and the United States in 1975, and wherever she went, Empress Kōjun’s smiling demeanor was called the “Empress Smile” or “the Empress’s smile,” becoming a topic of conversation.

He also had a wide range of hobbies, such as Japanese painting, calligraphy, and poetry, with collections of his paintings and poems being published and exhibitions of his works being held.

After becoming elderly and suffering from back pain, she went out less frequently, and after Emperor Showa passed away in January of Showa 64 1989, she spent peaceful days as Empress Dowager at her residence in the Imperial Palace.

In the year 2000, he passed away from old age at the age of 97.

She was the longest-lived empress consort on record, and also held the position for over 62 years, making her the longest-serving empress consort.

The title Kōjun Kōgō is a posthumous name, with Kō meaning beautiful or elegant, and jun from junshi meaning compassionate or kind-hearted.

The decision was made based on their personality during their lifetime and their strong interest in the arts.