As Japan’s Princess Aiko turns 20, what her ‘boring’ coming-of-age reveals about an imperial family in crisis
- Observers agree a statement released on Aiko’s behalf to mark her 20th birthday was kept as vanilla as possible to deny the Japanese tabloids more fodder
- It comes as Japan grapples with a looming imperial succession crisis that some say could be solved by allowing women to sit on the Chrysanthemum Throne
The only daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako marked her 20th birthday – when Japanese citizens legally become adults – with a statement issued through the Imperial Household Agency alongside a profile of the princess that sought to emphasise she was busy taking care of her pet dog and two cats.
Aiko, who is currently barred by law from ever taking the Chrysanthemum Throne herself, thanked her parents for their “loving and careful upbringing”, alongside “all the people who have been involved in my journey up to this day”, and said she wanted to “refine” herself so she could “grow into an adult who can be of service to others”.
“It has been a really difficult year for the imperial family,” said Hiromi Murakami, a political-science professor at Temple University’s Tokyo campus. “The princess’ statement is very general in its tone and I think it’s unlikely that it reflects her true feelings on the issues facing the monarchy.”
“After all the problems surrounding [former] princess Mako, the Imperial Household Agency just wants the family to keep a low profile and avoid any sort of controversy,” she said.