Chamberlain of Japan

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The Chamberlain of Japan (Jijū, 侍従) is a domestic caretaker 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.

1 History
2 List of Grand Chamberlains of Japan
3 See also
4 External links
5 References

[edit] History

The Chamberlain was called matsuhekimi (まつへきみ), omobito (おもびと) and omobitomachigimi (おもびとまちぎみ) in old Japanese (和名) and written "拾遺" in old Japanese kanji. The name has changed back and forth over a history of 1000 years or more. According to Taihō Code around the 8th century, it was presupposed that a chamberlain belonged to the Middle Ministry (nakatsukasashō) by the capacity of eight. When kuroudodokoro was installed in the Heian era, the Chamberlain's role was quickly reduced, limited to matters of courtesy. In 1869 (Meiji 2), the Chamberlain was brought within the Imperial Household Ministry. The position of Grand Chamberlain of Japan was placed within the merit system in 1871, and three persons—Tokudaiji Sanenori (徳大寺実則), Kawase Masataka (河瀬真孝), and Higashikuze Michitomi (東久世通禧)—were appointed. According to the Imperial Household Ministry regulations (明治40年皇室令第3号)^[1], the Grand Chamberlain supervises chamberlains who closely attend the appointed person, reports to that person and announces 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 (宮内府:kunaifu). After passage of the National Public Service Law (Shōwa 22 Law No. 120), 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 to an appointment document^[2] would no longer be carried out after the 2001 Central Government Reform. The grand chamberlain's job is that of an attestation official, and his appointment and dismissal are at the discretion of the Emperor.

Moreover, a chamberlain is assigned to the Crown Prince. This official is called East Palace Chamberlain (tōgūjijū, 東宮侍従) in Japanese because the Crown Prince lives in the East Palace (tōgū, 東宮) (and the Crown Prince was called tōgū also).