Piperine, along with its isomer chavicine, is the alkaloid responsible for the pungency of black pepper and long pepper. It has been used in some forms of traditional medicine.
In the Japanese constitutional monarchy, the emperor does not have any political power. In world politics, he is the only current emperor. The current emperor is His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Akihito. He has been on the Chrysanthemum Throne since his father Emperor ShÅwa (Hirohito) died in 1989. The amount of power belonging to the emperor of Japan has changed a lot throughout Japanese history.
Japanese are now mourning the end of an era: Showa, or Enlightened Peace, the title by which Hirohito will henceforth be known. That was the title chosen for Hirohito's reign when he succeeded his father, the Emperor Taisho, at the age of 25 on Dec. 25, 1926.