Board of Chamberlains
The Board of Chamberlains is a department of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan.
History
According to Taihō Code around the 8th century, it was presupposed that a chamberlain belonged to the Ministry of the Center. When the was installed during the Heian era, the chamberlain's role was quickly reduced, limited to matters of courtesy. In 1869, the chamberlain was brought into the Imperial Household Ministry. The position of Grand Chamberlain was placed within the merit system in 1871, and three people—Tokudaiji Sanetsune, Masataka Kawase, and Higashikuze Michitomi—were appointed. According to the Imperial Household Ministry regulations, the Grand Chamberlain supervises chamberlains who closely attend to the appointed person, report to that person, and announce their orders.After World War II, the chamberlains were organized into the Board of the Chamberlains, within the Imperial Household Agency, through the temporary Imperial Household office. After the passage of the National Public Service Law, the chamberlain became a special service national public servant. Although distinctions between first-class officials, second-class officials, and so forth continued, the class publication of an appointment document would no longer be carried out after the 2001 Central Government Reform.
Organisation
The Grand Chamberlain is a chief functionary of the Imperial court and aide of the Emperor of Japan. He also keeps the Privy Seal and the State Seal and has been an official civil servant since the Meiji Period. Today, the Grand Chamberlain, assisted by a Vice-Grand Chamberlain, heads the Board of the Chamberlains.The Grand Chamberlain's position is that of an attestation official, i.e. his appointment and dismissal are at the discretion of the Emperor.
Crown Prince
The Crown Prince of Japan is also served by a chamberlain. This official is called East Palace Chamberlain because the Crown Prince lives in the Tōgū Palace. The Grand Master is the head of the Board of the Crown Prince's Household.Grand Chamberlains
This is a list of grand chamberlains after the Meiji period:- Prince Tokudaiji Sanetsune, 1871–77
- Viscount Kawase Masataka, 1871–73
- Count Higashikuze Michitomi, 1871–77
- Yamaguchi Tadasada, 1878–84
- Yoneda Torao, 1878–84
- Prince Tokudaiji Sanetsune, 1884–12
- Baron Hatano Norinao, 1912
- Prince Katsura Tarō, 1912
- Prince Takatsukasa Hiromichi, 1912–18
- Count Ogimachi Sanemasa, 1919–22
- Count Tokugawa Satotaka, 1922–27
- Count Chinda Sutemi, 1927–1929
- Baron Suzuki Kantarō, 1929–36
- Hyakutake Saburō, 1936–44
- Fujita Hisanori, 1944–47
- Ōgane Masujirō, 1947–48
- Mitani Takanobu, 1948–65
- Inada Syūichi, 1965–69
- Irie Sukemasa, 1969–85
- Tokugawa Yoshihiro, 1985–88
- Yamamoto Satoru, 1988–96
- Watanabe Makoto, 2007–2015
- Kawai Chikao, 2015–2019
- Odano Nobutake, 2019–2021
- Bessho Koro, 2021–present