Published on July 17, 2019.
Based on a special dialogue between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Yoshiko Sakurai in the monthly magazine Hanada, this article presents the establishment of the Reiwa era, the Imperial succession, President Trump’s state visit to Japan, the sumo tournament, and Melania Trump’s words expressing her trust in Shinzo and Akie Abe.

July 17, 2019.
She answered, “There is no one I would rather spend time with than Shinzo and Akie.”
The following is from a special dialogue between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Yoshiko Sakurai, published in the August issue of the monthly magazine Hanada under the title “Prime Minister Abe Speaks at Length: Questions for the Asahi Shimbun and the Irresponsible Opposition Parties.”
The people shared a historic moment.
Sakurai.
Following the decision on the new era name “Reiwa,” the abdication of His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus and the accession of His Majesty the Emperor were carried out without incident.
I feel that achieving the success of such a national event with a preparation period of less than three years could not have been accomplished by an ordinary cabinet.
I imagine that during this time there must have been truly many hardships and much careful consideration.
Abe.
Since the summer three years ago, when His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus expressed his feelings, I have felt a tremendous responsibility and pressure.
We had to carry out the historic abdication and accession, and the establishment of the new era name, without incident.
For that purpose, the entire cabinet proceeded with thorough preparations.
As April 1, the day when the new era name would be announced, drew closer, the sense of tension grew even stronger, and a certain heavy atmosphere covered the cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office.
Thanks to everyone, many citizens evaluated and welcomed “Reiwa,” and I felt relieved, as though a burden had been lifted from my shoulders.
I think Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga felt the same way.
Sakurai.
There were also opinion polls showing that seventy or eighty percent of the public highly evaluated the new era name.
Abe.
I am especially happy that this tendency was clearly seen among young people, who will bear responsibility for the next era.
The further globalization advances, the more many people may have come to reflect on their own identity, asking, “Who are we?”
At the same time, I believe that opportunities have increased for people to turn their eyes toward and think about the traditions and culture cultivated over our eternal history, asking what we have continued to protect, and what is precious.
Within that, I feel that regarding the era name, which we have continued to preserve for many years, many citizens this time thought, “After all, it was good that we continued to protect it.”
Sakurai.
You were extremely vigilant about information leaks.
Abe.
We also received criticism that this was excessive.
However, the reason we enforced such strict secrecy was that, since we would be marking time together with the new era name, we believed it was important for all citizens to share the moment of its decision.
The people would spend together, through television and the internet, the moment when Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga announced, “The new era name is Reiwa.”
Through that, they would share the feeling that “our new era is beginning.”
I think this is very important.
There are still various criticisms, but I think it was very good that the people were able to spend that historic moment together.
Is Prime Minister Abe Prince Shotoku?
Sakurai.
Regarding the success of such a national event after only a short preparation period, I find it strange that the media had almost no reports praising it, as though they were saying, “It is only natural that it was accomplished.”
Abe.
I am used to not being praised by the media.
Of course, it was not only Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga and I; many people made tremendous efforts toward the establishment of the new era name.
Each of them, in their respective fields, worked with everything at stake: officials with their entire careers as officials, and the originators of the era name with their lives as scholars.
Sakurai.
I hope that the fact that “Reiwa,” for the first time in the long history of Japan’s era names, departed from Chinese classics and was based on the Manyoshu, a Japanese national classic, will once again awaken deep interest in Japanese history.
The compilation of the Manyoshu is said to have begun after the death of Prince Shotoku and to have been completed after the death of Emperor Shomu.
This means that it was compiled through the eras of successive emperors who, as the way of life of the nation, chose the way of Yamato rather than the way of China.
“Reiwa” reminded us of this history.
Without exaggeration, Prime Minister Abe seemed to overlap with the figures of Prince Shotoku and Emperors Tenji, Tenmu, and Shomu.
Abe.
No, no, that is too much of an honor.
The Manyoshu is Japan’s oldest anthology of poems, compiled more than twelve hundred years ago, and at the same time it contains poems composed not only by emperors, imperial family members, and nobles, but also by border guards and farmers, by people from a wide range of social classes; it is a national classic symbolizing our country’s rich national culture and long tradition, and it is a poetry anthology rarely seen even in the world.
Sakurai.
Among the four thousand five hundred poems, there are also many poems by nameless common people.
It is no exaggeration to say that it contains the songs of the entire nation.
Abe.
They are poems by unknown authors.
It is surprising to see the high level of cultivation by which not only privileged classes such as imperial family members and nobles, but also farmers and border guards, and many others, were able to compose poems.
Sakurai.
It makes us feel strongly once again what a wonderful country Japan is.
Abe.
When one says such things, there are often people who criticize by saying, “Are you telling us to become arrogant?” but that is completely mistaken.
It is very important to have quiet pride in one’s own identity.
For example, when going overseas, I believe it also leads to cultivating the thought and spirit of “acting in a way that does not shame one as a Japanese.”
President Trump was also nervous.
Sakurai.
At the opening of the new era called “Reiwa,” President Trump and the First Lady were welcomed as the first state guests.
I imagine President Trump was surprised when Prime Minister Abe told him about the history of Japan’s Imperial House and era names.
Have you spoken to Mr. Trump about such matters?
Abe.
Yes.
When I explained the tradition of Japan’s Imperial House, especially the fact that it is an unbroken imperial line, he was deeply impressed.
Also, when I was speaking with President Trump alone while having dinner, and I explained the abdication of His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus and the accession of His Majesty the Emperor, which took place for the first time in 202 years, he said, “It is truly an honor to be invited as the first state guest at such a historic time.”
Sakurai.
He met Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress at the Imperial Palace banquet.
Abe.
At that time, President Trump, unusually for him, appeared somewhat tense as he attended.
Sakurai.
Mr. Trump was nervous!
Does this not show that Japan’s deep history naturally creates a powerful force?
Abe.
President Trump has a sensibility that respects the preciousness of tradition and culture.
Watching grand sumo was also something he had strongly desired for some time.
Since he likes martial arts, I thought that by seeing it up close, and also by watching it together with many spectators, he might feel the sense of unity unique to grand sumo, so we arranged those seats in the box seating area.
It did, however, cause great difficulty for those involved in security.
Sakurai.
Actually, I too was invited by the nonfiction writer Kadota Ryusho and watched the final day of the tournament together with Chin Birei and others.
When Prime Minister Abe and Mr. Trump entered the Kokugikan, all the spectators stood up and gave thunderous applause, and the Kokugikan was filled with cheers.
Abe.
To be honest, I was worried about what kind of atmosphere would greet us, but everyone received us politely and warmly.
Sakurai.
My seat was beside the aisle, in a position where I could see the side profiles of Prime Minister Abe and Mr. Trump directly in front of me.
When I looked, Mr. Trump’s expression was completely serious; without a smile, he watched intently from beginning to end.
I thought, “This man truly likes martial arts.”
During the bout between Takayasu and Tochinoshin.
Abe.
President Trump asked detailed and enthusiastic questions, such as, “Why do the sumo wrestlers repeatedly reset themselves before the initial charge? What meaning does it have?” and “What role does the referee play?”
Hakkaku, the chairman of the Japan Sumo Association and former yokozuna Hokutoumi, explained things to him, but during the bout between Takayasu and Tochinoshin, there was a match in which it was uncertain which wrestler had won, and he leaned forward and kept asking energetically, “Shinzo, who won? Which one? Which one?”
I said, “Donald, wait a moment,” but he seemed extremely excited.
Even afterward, he said to me again and again, “While preserving its richly ancient traditions, they fight seriously, and even after the bout is over, there is no excessive performance. Both the winning wrestler and the losing wrestler are calm, polite, and praise each other. Japanese sumo was truly wonderful.”
When we were leaving the Kokugikan, I happened to see Ms. Sakurai and the others seated beside the aisle, so I introduced you to President Trump.
On the internet, it said, “President Trump shakes hands with ordinary people,” but on another site there were also comments saying, “Are they really ordinary people?”
Sakurai.
I was surprised by how very friendly Mr. Trump was.
At the award ceremony, when he presented the “United States President’s Cup” to the winning wrestler, after Mr. Trump finished handing over the Emperor’s Cup, he lightly tapped the shoulder of the person from the Sumo Association who had supported him beside him.
I thought that consideration was wonderful.
Abe.
He is often misunderstood, but President Trump is a very considerate and kind person.
It is hardly known, but even when we are having lunch at a golf course, he always speaks to each employee who brings food or drinks, saying, “Thank you,” “How are you?” and “How are things?”
At the golf courses he owns, he calls all the staff by their first names, and the staff also respond casually, saying “President” or “Donald.”
It was a very good atmosphere, and it made me feel warm as well.
Sakurai.
When you visited Washington in April, Prime Minister Abe, after finishing the summit meeting, participated in a dinner at the White House celebrating Mrs. Melania’s birthday.
I read an article saying that at that time, when Mr. Trump asked Mrs. Melania, “How would you like to celebrate your birthday today?” she answered, “There is no one I would rather spend time with than Shinzo and Akie.”
There were also reports that during this visit to Japan, at a robatayaki restaurant in Roppongi, he said to Mrs. Melania, “You are glad you married me, aren’t you? You were able to come to such a wonderful Japan.”
These are episodes that convey Mr. Trump’s kind personality.
Abe.
He is considerate, and I think he is essentially a kind person.
He also expresses joy honestly.
The day after his arrival in Japan, we played golf together for the fifth time in total, and professional golfer Isao Aoki also joined us.
Mr. Aoki is also known for having fought a fierce battle with Jack Nicklaus, who was called the Emperor, at the 1980 U.S. Open, and that had left a strong impression on President Trump as well.
During the round, President Trump borrowed a driver from Mr. Aoki and hit the ball a tremendous distance.
He was genuinely delighted by that and was in a very good mood.
This article continues.