In 1920-1921, “**Color Blindness Gene Scandal**”, or “宮中某重大事件 (Kyuchu Bo Judai Jiken)” shocked the political world of Japan.
Prince Hirohito and Princess Nagako, later known as Empress Kojun, have been privately engaged at that time, but things got a bit tricky when Yamagata, former Japanese PM was informed that Princess Nagako might have a color blind gene on her maternal side.
Aritomo Yamagata, who served as Chief of the General Staff during the Russo-Japanese War, had been active in politics for nearly 50 years. And this extremely powerful old man OPPOSED the marriage.
Yamagata’s logic is as follows:
-It’s in the law that royal males must become a military officer, and Emperor shall be Grand Marshal
-But people with color blindness were not allowed in the military (at that time period)
-Thus, a lady that would bear color blind children should not become empress
Well, no matter how you put it, it was “hey Prince you can’t marry that girl because *genetic reasons”, and not a good look. Although Yamagata was adamant, after facing so much backlash from his fellow politicians (also right wing nationalists were plotting to kill him), he finally gave in.
After this incident, Yamagata completely lost his political influence, and Prince Hirohito and Princess Nagako got married in 1924.
TL;DR – **Yamagata said “I must oppose this marriage because the royal family shouldn’t inherit color blindness” and everyone was disgusted by the statement.**
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In 1920-1921, “**Color Blindness Gene Scandal**”, or “宮中某重大事件 (Kyuchu Bo Judai Jiken)” shocked the political world of Japan.
Prince Hirohito and Princess Nagako, later known as Empress Kojun, have been privately engaged at that time, but things got a bit tricky when Yamagata, former Japanese PM was informed that Princess Nagako might have a color blind gene on her maternal side.
Aritomo Yamagata, who served as Chief of the General Staff during the Russo-Japanese War, had been active in politics for nearly 50 years. And this extremely powerful old man OPPOSED the marriage.
Yamagata’s logic is as follows:
-It’s in the law that royal males must become a military officer, and Emperor shall be Grand Marshal
-But people with color blindness were not allowed in the military (at that time period)
-Thus, a lady that would bear color blind children should not become empress
Well, no matter how you put it, it was “hey Prince you can’t marry that girl because *genetic reasons”, and not a good look. Although Yamagata was adamant, after facing so much backlash from his fellow politicians (also right wing nationalists were plotting to kill him), he finally gave in.
After this incident, Yamagata completely lost his political influence, and Prince Hirohito and Princess Nagako got married in 1924.
TL;DR – **Yamagata said “I must oppose this marriage because the royal family shouldn’t inherit color blindness” and everyone was disgusted by the statement.**
further readings: [Aritomo Yamagata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamagata_Aritomo), [Empress Nagako](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Nagako)
Average 1920’s moment tbh
Bro really tried to min-max the royal bloodline IRL
I love how you used this scene in a different way that it still refers to the plot of the anime