Before the war, that is, under the old Constitution, communications concerning the Emperor (and the Imperial Household) were completely controlled. This meant 1) that the Emperor was not judged a proper subject for treatment by the media and 2) that all information about the Emperor was considered state property to be released at government direction. Moreover, the degree of control was strengthened by the parallel establishment of the Imperial system (Tennoism). The legal codes regultating media activities were the Penal Code's Lese Majesty Law and the Press Law. These were repealed after the War. Under the new Constitution, freedom of speech and of the press was guaranteed, but communications concerning the Emperor in newspapers, broadcasting-in the mass media in general-are extremely one-sided. The views of anti-Imperialist factions and criticisms of the Emperor personally realy appear. By his treatment in the media, the Emperor in once again being shrouded in a veil of mystery and the establishment of a new control system-the "Emperor for the Masees"-is proceeding apace.
