How politically relevant was the Mandate of Heaven the Japanese imperial era? Did any major players like Hirohito, Chiang Kai Shek, or Puyi claim the mandate?
The Mandate of Heaven is an explicitly Chinese concept. It has nothing to do with the Japanese emperor, whose political legitimacy derived from being the descendant of the sun god Amaterasu.
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The Mandate of Heaven is an explicitly Chinese concept. It has nothing to do with the Japanese emperor, whose political legitimacy derived from being the descendant of the sun god Amaterasu.