Japan has a long history, going back at least 2,000 years, consequently the moment of its founding is unknown. Some inceptional charts are considered as substitutes of the foundation of Japan, the most recent one is erected for the moment that the present Constitution was passed by the Diet on October 7th, 1946. Ho-Seiju presumes the moment to be 02:53 p.m. after interviewing several Members of Parliament at that time and some astrological rectification. (*1) This chart brings out the post-war Japan in full relief and most astrologers in this country regard it as our national chart.
After the last war, Japan became Americanized in so many ways. The US occupied Japan for several years after the war and they brought American culture in our lives. The cause of Japan's Americanization also hides our national chart, and it becomes clearer when this chart is compared with the US one with 8º Gemini rising, which I prefer.
JAPAN USA Uranus 21º46' Gemini Mars 20º57' Gemini Fortuna 03º39' Cancer Venus 02º21' Cancer Saturn 07º08' Leo N.Node 07º35' Leo Sun 13º22' Libra Saturn 14º50' Libra ASC 19º54' Aquarius Moon 18º14' Aquarius This is just a rumor and I am half in doubt, but some say the moment of passing the present Constitution of Japan was astrologically selected by the US in order to inhibit Japan from war. They insist the coincidence of the planetary positions in the two charts is the evidence, for no election is effective unless the planets in the electional chart have a connection with the radix. In fact, the main aim of the US occupation was to make Japan a peaceful and democratic nation like the US - a Cancerian-like consideration. From the view point of electional astrology, the first house is not a good position for the Moon, however, the natural significator of people in the first house of people, and the Moon's placement in Aquarius seems to fit their purpose. If it was really elected, the Constitution must have been passed a few minutes earlier than 02:53 p.m., so that the ascendant and the Fortuna of Japan become closer to the Moon and Venus of the US.
The ruler of the second Mars is strong both essentially and accidentally - being in its own sign, conjuncts Jupiter, etc. - I think this made possible the Japanese economy's high growth rate after the war. And people gradually became better off than before - represented by the Moon and Jupiter being at each other's antiscion. Esther Gould points out that Jupiter, conjuncts Mars, is in the eighth of foreign money. If it was an electional chart, what was being aimed at by this? Any expectations would apparently have been disappointed. The coincidence of the planetary positions might merely show that the present Constitution, which includes the article renouncing war, was written under strong US influence.
The Japanese, especially young women, have become bad mannered, perhaps because of the Moon being square to Venus. People say that women and stockings became tough and strong after the war, I think Venus in Mars' sign signifies this. The US could not import silk from Japan after the two countries broke off diplomatic relations in the 1930's, so they needed to invent nylon to make parachutes, and they also made stockings from nylon and then exported these to Japan after the war - nylon is indeed tougher than silk.
It is said that Japanese overwork themselves, however we are not aware of this. In my opinion, the Japanese are inefficient; nevertheless we are perfectionists, consequently we must work at length to achieve our task - I think Japanese enterprises are efficient but the individual workers are not. This seems to be symbolized by the ruler of the ascendant Saturn being in detriment and in the sixth house. Some workers have died through overwork, which has recently become a social problem. The Sun in the eighth in mutual reception with Saturn by exaltation and sign seems to signify this.
Astrologers in Europe and America usually regard Japan as Libra. I suppose the reason might be that the Japanese are calm and seldom betray feeling. Not only the West but also other Asians, such as Chinese and Korean, see the Japanese as cool and quiet. In Japan it is rude to express one's emotions in public, those who do so are assumed to be uneducated. The language and manners of the Japanese are highly courteous because of the population density. More than 130-million people are now living on these tiny islands, which are only the size of the State of California. If we are not cool and quiet, or we assert ourselves, quarrels and fights would be constant. So the Japanese, of necessity, must be considerate of the thoughts and feelings of others, and never assert ourselves strongly. Nowadays this negative attitude has gradually become interdependence between members of the group, that is, being a member of society and living under strict social rules bestows a peaceful life; self-assertion will not pay. So I regard Japan as Pisces, the sign in which the ruler of Libra is exalted, because of people's sensitivity to the feelings of others, their withdrawal attitude and reticence - Pisces is a mute sign.
Originally though I believe Japan was under the rulership of Mars or Scorpio. So many battles and fights have been described in Japanese myths. Traditionally too, the Japanese tend to suppress their anger until it reaches above a certain point, when it will explode. Once this happens and the anger is expressed, these people are not afraid of dying - remember the Kamikaze pilots who took off with only sufficient fuel to reach their target and crashed their bomb-laden planes and themselves down onto the battleships of the US Navy. Now this same courage is being displayed on the economic scene. It seems that the rumor is true that Japan's Constitution was astrologically elected to ensure Japan would not again go to war; however, it has caused economic warfare.
(*1) Ho-Seiju "Shakai Senseigaku (Mundane Astrology)" Nihon Senseigaku Academy. 1985.
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© 1997 H. Shuseh Kokubu. All rights reserved.