Love, they say, conquers all. This is the true state of things presently in the life of a Japanese Princess, Mako as she is ready to relinquish her crown to marry the common man, who stole her heart
Princess Mako, the eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito, will give up her royal status to marry a former classmate who once worked as a “Prince of the Sea” to promote tourism.
Japanese media reported the union would stoke debate on the ever-shrinking royal family since the princess must become a commoner after she marries.
The country’s cabinet is expected to approve a bill on Friday to allow Akihito, 83, to step down, the first abdication by a Japanese emperor in nearly two centuries, after he said last August he feared age would make it hard to fulfill his duties.
But the legislation will make no reference to the controversial topics of whether to revise a males-only succession law or to allow women to stay in the imperial family after marriage, a move conservatives fear would be a first step to letting women inherit the throne.
Asked about the shortage in royals, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference on Wednesday: “There is no change in our view to proceed with consideration of steps to ensure stable imperial succession.”
The 25-year-old Mako’s unofficial fiance, Kei Komuro, appeared before media cameras on Wednesday outside the Tokyo law office where he works, a day after the news of their engagement broke. The Imperial Household Agency declined to comment.
“Now is not the time for me to comment, but I want to speak at the right time,” Komuro, 25, repeatedly told reporters.
Komuro, who media said once served as a “Prince of the Sea” to promote tourism on a beach near Tokyo, did say he’d had a brief phone conversation with Mako on Tuesday.