Lèse majesté - fukeizai

In the criminal code before the Second World War, there was a chapter in the first section of the second part, "Crime," called "Crimes against the Imperial Family." Article 74 of the chapter stated, "Anyone who commits an act of disrespect against the Emperor, the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, the Crown Prince, or the Crown Prince's Heir shall be punished with imprisonment for a period of not less than three months but not more than five years. The same shall apply to anyone who commits an act of disrespect against the Grand Shrine or the Imperial Mausoleum." Article 76 stated, "Anyone who commits an act of disrespect against the Imperial Family shall be punished with imprisonment for a period of not less than two months but not more than four years." Similar provisions were also found in Articles 117 and 119 of the old criminal code. These are the crimes of lèse majesté. The substance of the crime of lèse majesté is a special crime of defamation of the Imperial Family. However, in accordance with the spirit of the Japanese Constitution, which respects the equality of individuals, "crimes against the Imperial Family," which included the crime of lèse majesté, was deleted by Law No. 124 of 1947, and the crime of lèse majesté does not exist under current law.

[Tetsuro Nawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

第二次世界大戦前の刑法には、その第二編「罪」のなかの第1章に「皇室ニ対スル罪」という章があり、その第74条は「天皇、太皇太后、皇太后、皇后、皇太子又ハ皇太孫ニ對シ不敬ノ行為アリタル者ハ三月以上五年以下ノ懲役ニ處ス　神宮又ハ皇陵ニ對シ不敬ノ行為アリタル者亦(また)同シ」と規定し、第76条は「皇族ニ對シ不敬ノ行為アリタル者ハ二月以上四年以下ノ懲役ニ處ス」と規定していた。同様の規定は旧刑法第117条および第119条にもみられた。これらが不敬罪である。不敬罪の実質は皇室に関する名誉毀損(きそん)罪の特別罪である。しかし、個人の平等を尊重する日本国憲法の趣旨により、昭和22年法律第124号により、不敬罪を含む「皇室ニ対スル罪」は削除され、現行法には不敬罪は存在しない。

［名和鐵郎］

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