Board of Chamberlains

The  is a department of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan.

History 
According to Taihō Code around the 8th century, it was presupposed that a chamberlain belonged to the Ministry of the Center. When the  was installed during the Heian era, the chamberlain's role was quickly reduced, limited to matters of courtesy. In 1869, the chamberlain was brought within the Imperial Household Ministry. The position of Grand Chamberlain was placed within the merit system in 1871, and three people—Tokudaiji Sanetsune, Masataka Kawase, and Higashikuze Michitomi—were appointed. According to the Imperial Household Ministry regulations, 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 . 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 would no longer be carried out after the 2001 Central Government Reform.

Organisation 
The  is a chief functionary of the Imperial court, 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. Today, the Grand Chamberlain, assisted by a Vice-Grand Chamberlain, heads the Board of the Chamberlains. 

The Grand Chamberlain's job is that of an attestation official, and his appointment and dismissal are at the discretion of the Emperor.

Crown Prince 
The Crown Prince of Japan is also served by a chamberlain. This official is called  because the Crown Prince lives in the Tōgū Palace ("East Palace"). The Grand Master is the head of the Board of the Crown Prince's Household.

Grand Chamberlains 

This is a list of grand chamberlains after the Meiji period: 

 Prince Tokudaiji Sanetsune (徳大寺実則), 1871–77  
 Viscount Kawase Masataka (河瀬真孝), 1871–73
 Count Higashikuze Michitomi (東久世通禧), 1871–77
 Yamaguchi Tadasada (山口正定), 1878–84
 Yoneda Torao (米田虎雄), 1878–84
  Prince Tokudaiji Sanetsune (徳大寺実則), 1884–12
  Baron Hatano Norinao (波多野敬直), 1912
  Prince Katsura Tarō (桂太郎), 1912
  Prince Takatsukasa Hiromichi (鷹司煕通), 1912–18
  Count Ogimachi Sanemasa (正親町実正), 1919–22
  Count Tokugawa Satotaka (徳川達孝), 1922–27
  Count Chinda Sutemi (珍田捨巳), 1927–1929
  Baron Suzuki Kantarō (鈴木貫太郎), 1929–36
 Hyakutake Saburō (百武三郎), 1936–44
 Fujita Hisanori (藤田尚徳), 1944–47

After enforcement of the Constitution of Japan by the end of World War II:

 Ōgane Masujirō (大金益次郎), 1947–48
 Mitani Takanobu (三谷隆信), 1948–65
 Inada Syūichi (稲田周一), 1965–69
 Irie Sukemasa (入江相政), 1969–85 
 Tokugawa Yoshihiro (徳川義寛), 1985–88
 Yamamoto Satoru (山本悟), 1988–96
 Watanabe Makoto (渡邉允, 12 December 1996 – 2007
 Kawashima Yutaka (川島裕), 2007–2015
 Kawai Chikao (河相 周夫), 2015–

See also 
Aide-de-camp to the Emperor of Japan
Grand Steward's Secretariat
Board of Ceremonies

References

External links 
Imperial Household Agency | Board of the Chamberlains

Category:Imperial Household Agency

ja:宮内庁侍従職