Japan's Imperial Family and Japanese Cinema

[Pkmatrix]

After all these years of watching Toho films, something I've noticed about Japanese cinema is that the Imperial family seems to rarely (if ever) figure in these stories. I mean, it's to the point where an outsider like myself might be forgiven for forgetting that Japan even has an Emperor. Now, I know Japan's Imperial family is much more private than, say, the British royal family and it's nice that the Japanese film industry seems to respect that privacy. But, in some cases, it leaves us with some odd...absences, I guess?

For instance: we've had, what, four or five times throughout Toho's giant monster films that the National Diet Building has either been destroyed or attacked (G'54, Mothra, KKvG, GvM'92, and Tokyo SOS all come to mind)? Not once is it mentioned in ANY of those movies that the Imperial Residence is practically NEXT to it, Google Maps suggests the only things dividing the Diet's grounds and the Imperial Residence's grounds are one block and a canal. I, myself, had no idea the two were so close until I decided to look up where, exactly, the Imperial Residence was in Tokyo out of sheer curiosity.

Not that I ever want to see it get smashed or anything, but is there any specific reason why their presence is never mentioned? I mean, you'd think there'd at least be a "Thankfully, the Imperial Residence was spared" comment.

As an American, it just a little hard to wrap my head around.

[three]

Well, they give us access to the prime minister often. And they may consider it inappropriate or even an insult to depict their emperor in danger or to threaten him (and the family). America has a very different idea of respect; ya got that movie coming out about killing KJU of North korea, which yea free speech and all, is still a totally stupid and insulting thing to do to anyone.

Japan is just a bit more mindful of the hierarchy. Nothin' major.