The Emperor of Japan

By A.D. 500 the emperor of Japan had become largely a ceremonial position. The people of Japan believed that only the emperor could communicate with the gods in behalf of their people. This insured that the same family remained on the throne. However, political power was taken from the emperor by various families, who ruled Japan through the centuries.

The unbroken line of emperors exists to this day, with the modern day emperor being a direct descendant of the original emperor of Japan.