A blend of boldness and tradition, Empress Michiko of Japan succeeded in doing what no other Japanese empress had done before her: taking control of her life despite her lack of official power. She transformed the timid respect shown by an...See moreA blend of boldness and tradition, Empress Michiko of Japan succeeded in doing what no other Japanese empress had done before her: taking control of her life despite her lack of official power. She transformed the timid respect shown by an entire nation to its emperor into a real and sincere attachment. Installed at the heart of Japanese society when the country was in a state of collapse after World War II, and then launched on a frantic course to achieve modernity, over a period of 60 years, Michiko followed an unexpected path: that of encouraging the Japanese people to indulge in greater introspection in order to build a united, peaceful and enlightened Japan.
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