by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2013
Crown Prince Akishino with his wife; Credit – Zimbio
Crown Prince Akishino (given name: Fumihito) was born November 30, 1965, at the Aoyama Detached Palace in Toyko, Japan, the second son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Until his marriage, he was known as The Prince Aya. After his early education, he attended Gakushuin University, studying law and biology. He later studied at St John’s College, Oxford, and received a Ph.D. in ornithology from the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in Japan in 1996.
Crown Prince Akishino has an elder brother and a younger sister:
- Emperor Naruhito of Japan (born 1960), married Masako Owada, had one daughter
- Sayako, Princess Nori (born 1969), married Yoshiki Kuroda, lost her imperial status due to marrying a commoner, no children
The Crown Prince is very interested and involved in organizations focused on nature and agriculture, and teaches as a visiting professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture. An avid tennis player who once ranked among the top doubles players in Japan, he serves as honorary president of the Japan Tennis Association.
In June 1990, he married Kiko Kawashima, was given the title Prince Akishino and formed a new branch of the Imperial Family. The couple had three children:
- Mako Komuro, formerly Princess Mako of Akishino (born 1991), married Kei Komuro, lost her title and become a commoner upon marriage as required by Imperial Household Law
- Princess Kako of Akishino (born 1994)
- Prince Hisahito of Akishino (born 2006)
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess carry out many public duties representing Japan, and on behalf of the Emperor. The couple and their family live in a home on the Akasaka Estate, the vast park surrounding Akasaka Palace (now used as an official guest house for visiting dignitaries), along with many other members of the Imperial Family.
Crown Prince Akishino (left) with his brother Emperor Naruhito and his sister-in-law Empress Masako; Credit – By 江戸村のとくぞう – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78703618
On December 1, 2017, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Emperor Akihito would abdicate on April 30, 2019, and that his elder son Crown Prince Naruhito would become Emperor. As his elder brother Emperor Naruhito has no sons, Crown Prince Akishino became the heir presumptive to the Chrysanthemum Throne upon Naruhito’s accession on May 1, 2019. Crown Prince Akishino is followed in the line of succession by his son Prince Hisahito. Unless Emperor Naruhito has a son or the succession laws are changed, Prince Hisahito will likely inherit the throne. On April 19, 2020, Akishino was to be formally invested as Crown Prince of Japan. However, the ceremony was postponed to November 8, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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