JAKARTA - Prince Hisahito has begun to enter further into the official stage of the Japanese Empire. At the age of 19, he attended his first imperial banquet at the Tokyo Imperial Palace.
Quoted from People, Thursday, May 28, Hisahito was present on May 27 to welcome Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
The diplomatic reception was an important moment for Hisahito. According to Jiji Press, this is the first time he has attended a reception for a state guest.
Hisahito is second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, after his father, Crown Prince Akishino.
He is the only son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Akishino. In the Japanese imperial system that only allows men to inherit the throne, Hisahito's position is important.
Hisahito came to the party after his classes were over. He is now a second-year student at the College of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba.
Naomasa Yoshida, head of the Crown Prince's household, said Hisahito could attend because the event did not interfere with his studies.
The Imperial Household Agency said his older sisters had also attended similar events while they were still in college. They are former Princess Mako and Princess Kako.
Mako abdicated the royal status in October 2021 to marry Kei Komuro, her long-time lover and former classmate.
Japanese law requires imperial princesses to leave the royal family if they marry commoners.
Mako also refused to pay 1.3 million US dollars from the Japanese government. The money is usually given to royal family women who lose their royal status by marrying.
Mako and Kei's marriage was delayed. They became engaged in 2013 and announced plans to marry in 2017. However, as reported by the BBC, the plan was stalled by a controversy over financial disputes involving Kei Komuro's mother.
Crown Prince Akishino finally approved their marriage in 2020. A year later, Mako and Kei married in a simple ceremony at the local district office.
After getting married, Mako took the name Mako Komuro. He and Kei then moved to New York, where Kei worked as a lawyer.
In May 2025, the Imperial Household Agency confirmed that the couple had welcomed their first child. The baby's name, gender, and date of birth were not announced.
Hisahito's attendance at the reception for foreign dignitaries marked one of his first steps in carrying out public roles in the Japanese imperial circle.
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