Pharaoh and Asian Emperor

Asian countries, such as China and Japan, often translate title of their rulers (historical in China's case) as Emperors. While that supposed to give their rulers, and by extension their countries, the dignity of highest ranked monarch, the emperor. 

However, based on nature of their power or role in society, Asian and European Emperors are rather far from each other. 

Meaning and nature of Emperor title in Europe changed and evolved over time. Most recently Napoleon took this title to claim a greater prestige to his country, compared to his neighbors as well as to connect it to Ancient Rome. Thus, an Emperor is a glorified King with an inflated sense of self-importance.

Asian Emperors are in contrast symbol of their country. They are often covered in legends, attributed some supernatural powers and so on. They are also often a head of the religion and sometimes considered a literal living god or a descendant of God. Japan maintains that their Emperors are all direct descendants of Amaterasu.

Napoleon never claimed to be descendant of anything, he was an ordinary man who rose to power through the ranks and success on the battlefield. European Kings or Roman Emperors also rose to their power through the military prowess, even if their descendants sometimes took that power merely by being their son and without possessing any military ability. Original Roman Emperor, Ceasar was but a general who led a rebellion against the legitimate government, won and seize the power for himself.

In contrast in Asia, in Japan in particular, Emperor is hardly a military person. Based on nature of power, it would be Shogun who can be considered Emperor's equivalent. Shogunate was called Bakufu, or tent government, because it was a government by soldiers and military leaders. In contrast Japanese Emperor was more peaceful and spiritual. Imperial life was, and probably still is, full of various, often religious ceremonies. 

Perhaps the closest modern equivalent to Asian Emperor would be Catholic Pope. Pope also claims to be appointed by Jesus himself and to represent the gods will on Earth. Pope too performs various religious ceremonies and acts as spiritual leader to Catholic Christians. His power comes not from military might, but from tradition and respect for God and religion. 

Other branches of Christianity do reject Pope's authority. So, it is easy to underestimate Pope's influence if you are talking to Atheist, Baptist or Anglican person. However, Catholics are majority Christian group globally.

However, historically there was one type of ruler, who was the closest to Asian nature of power, Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. Egyptian Pharaohs considered themselves descendants of gods. Legends attributed them supernatural powers. Life of the Pharaoh was also filled with various religious rituals and such. 

Unlike Pope Pharaoh held both spiritual and temporal power in the country. People listen to them as both spokespeople of gods and authority on all things spiritual, but also as everyday administrators of life. 

Pharaohs did fight in wars as well, but they were not seen as mostly holders of military power, like Emperors and Kings are.

Unlike Pope, but like Kings and Emperors, title of Pharaoh would pass to descendants of the previous ruler. Though actual succession system was about as byzantine as succession to some of the Japanese Emperors of the past.

As a bonus fact, Ancient Egyptian writing system was similar to Chinese Character and Kanji. That is, they were logographs, that represented things are ideas, rather than letters, that represent sounds.

Finally complex Japanese Emperor's Headgear somewhat resembles the crown of Lower Egypt, Deshret. Deshret means Red One, so Japanese would be Black One.

Sure, the original Egyptian civilization is extinguished. Diadochi and Romans gradually chipped away at its unique features. Eventually Muslim Arabs, completely replaced it with their own Islamic ways. However, Legacy of Pharaohs does endure in numerous monuments, temples, papyruses and other relicts of this once glorious civilization. 

Egyptologists do like to study this era and its civilization. Egypt left behind more tangible relics than nearby, Sumer-Babylonia. Egyptian relicts can be found in many museums around the world. In a way they are somewhat of a progenitor of modern Western Civilization. Greeks and Romans came after them.