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About meThe IHA strikes back
Following up on yesterday’s stuff about the Ben Hills book: The Imperial Household Agency has posted the letter it sent to Hills for all to read. (Punctuation weirdness is sic.)
In Chapter seven of this book, you write that, “The Emperor is said to have more than 1000 engagements a year,—–, though all are undemanding formal appearances at uncontroversial events.” and go on to conclude that, “It would be inconceivable for the Japanese royals to be associated with anything as controversial as Princess Diana’s championing of —– the Leprosy Mission.” Here, you completely ignore the fact that Their Majesties have been very much involved in leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, over the past forty years.
The letter goes on to talk at length about the deep involvement of the imperial couple in the leprosy issue (nine sanatorium visits over four decades, whew) and their trips to places like Okinawa and quake-stricken Kobe. Not exactly the kind of stuff that strikes me as demanding and controversial, but then again I come from a country that got rid of its king centuries ago so perhaps I lack the proper respect for royal institutions.
(I’m not at all familiar with Princess Diana’s “Leprosy Mission,” but for all I know it was just about as demanding as the various trips to facilities taken by the Japanese royals. Or did she really get out there and stump for the cause, raising money for research and whatnot?)
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