Foreign Student (hereinafter, FS): February 11 is National Foundation Day. I heard this day derives from a story in the Kojiki – what kind of book is this? Teacher (hereinafter, T): Written to connect the emperor of that time with traditional mythology, it is the oldest book in Japan. Starting with the formation of heaven and earth, it tells the story of how the gods created Japan. In its pages is an account of how the first Emperor Jinmu ascended to the throne on February 11. Some parts of the story are not logical and it also contains descriptions of deities possessing human traits. The gods are sometimes shown as being jealous, scared, having a sense of humor, or even having sex. FS: When, by whom, and for what purpose was the Kojiki written? T: Emperor Tenmu commissioned this compilation, which was completed in 712. Around ten years previous to this, many powerful clans had been involved in a huge battle over the succession to the throne. Around that time each clan told their own biased account of history. It is said that the emperor hoped to stabilize the country by making his own comprehensive historical account that would unite the people. FS: Were historical facts hidden amongst the mythology? T: Many scholars have stated that it makes sense to view the sun goddess Amaterasu, as being Empress Jito, an ancestor of the Emperor. She was the wife of Emperor Tenmu and took over his position after her husband passed away. Empress Jito is said to have created a political system that would circumvent disputes over the succession to the throne. She left political decisions to her bureaucrats, while retaining the right to select the successor to the throne from her own bloodline. However, these myths can be interpreted in many ways, so nothing is certain. FS: I have heard that the content of the Kojiki is similar to that of Greek mythology... T: Some parts of the Kojiki, including the stories about Amaterasu and her brother Susanoo, resemble Greek myths. Therefore people take the view that Greek mythology made its way to Japan. It’s common knowledge among scholars that these kinds of myths can be found the world over. FS: If that’s the case, this weakens the legitimacy of the emperor’s claim to the throne, doesn’t it? T: In the past, German archeologist Heinrich SCLIEMAN’s excavations, proved that the legendary city of Troy – which appears in Greek legends – existed. It is said that he discovered the site by believing that the heroic epic “The Iliad” – which was written by Greek poet Homer in the 8th century BC – reflected real historical events. In the case of the Kojiki, so far, some archaeological finds have supported descriptions found in the Kojiki. In 1979 the tomb of OONO Yasumaro – editor of the Kojiki – was found in Nara Prefecture. It is possible that the myths contained in the Kojiki will lead to discoveries like that of Troy.