royals
Crown Prince Fumihito of Japan seals his place as heir to the throne
Crown Princess Kiko and Crown Prince Fumihito of Japan
© Kyodo News / imago images
A historic event: on April 21, 2022, Crown Prince Fumihito sealed his place as heir to the throne of Japan with a ritual at the holy Ise-jingū shrine.
Last Thursday, Crown Prince Fumihito of Japan, 56, along with his wife Crown Princess Kiko, 55, visited the Ise-jingū, a Shinto shrine that is considered Japan’s highest shrine.
Crown Prince Fumihito of Japan becomes first in line to the throne
With this official appearance, the father of ex-princess Mako, 30, who now lives in exile in New York, took his last step, according to the Japanese newspaper “Asahi Shimbun”, to officially become the first in line to the throne.
With this visit, Emperor Naruhito’s brother, 62, completed the ritual called Rikkoshi no Rei, which took place in November 2020 and officially made Fuhimito the heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
Japan’s Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko visit Ise-jingu Shrine in Ise city on April 21, 2022.
© Kyodo News / imago images
Fuhimito wore a ceremonial black tailcoat with gray trousers and a black waistcoat at the ceremony, which took place at the Geku, the outer shrine of the Ise-jingū. His wife Kiko walked behind him in accordance with imperial protocol, beaming in her white dress, which she combined with a hat, also white, and pearl jewellery.
Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko
© Kyodo News / imago images
Fuhimito’s daughter Mako recently made a lot of negative headlines
Fuhimito’s brother, Emperor Naruhito, has no male descendants who, according to the strict tradition of the Japanese imperial family, can only be considered heirs to the throne. That’s why the 56-year-old was given this honor.
Most recently, it was not the crown prince himself who made the headlines, but his daughters – in a good and negative sense: Princess Aiko turned 20 in December 2021 and recently took on royal duties.
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Mako, now known as Mako Komuro, celebrated what is arguably the world’s saddest royal wedding last year amid angry protests from the Japanese people. Because she married a commoner, she had to give up her title and leave the imperial family behind. However, her stay in New York is currently in jeopardy because husband Kei Komuro, 30, has failed his bar exam a second time.
Sources used: asahi.com, dailymail.co.uk