On September 6, 2024, Prince Hisahito, the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to Japan’s Chrysanthemum Throne celebrated his 18th birthday. Hisahito’s coming of age is a special occasion for Japan’s imperial family, this is the first time in nearly 40 years that a male member has reached adulthood.
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On September 6, 2024, Prince Hisahito turned 18. His 18th birthday is a major moment for the imperial household, as it is the first time in nearly four decades that a male member has reached adulthood. His father, Crown Prince Akishino was the last male royal to turn 18, back in 1985.
Prince Hisahito is now second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, after his father Akishino and the youngest member of the 17-member imperial family. The family only includes four men.
Prince Hisahito’s entry into adulthood carries great symbolic importance, given the role he will one day play as Emperor. However he is currently focused on completing his high school education at the University of Tsukuba’s Senior High School at Otsuka in Tokyo.
His Coming-of-Age Ceremony, a traditional event for male royals has been postponed until after his graduation, likely in 2025 to avoid disrupting his studies.
The Japanese imperial family is one of the oldest continuous monarchies in the world with over a millennium of history. The Chrysanthemum Throne, Japan’s imperial seat has been a symbol of stability and continuity in the nation.
Emperor Naruhito, who ascended the throne in 2019, has only one daughter, Princess Aiko. Under Japan’s strict 1947 Imperial House Law, which governs royal succession, women are not allowed to become emperor.
This law also dictates that female members of the imperial family must renounce their royal status upon marrying commoners.
Japan’s 1947 Imperial House Law is a main reason why the imperial family faces challenges with succession. The law stipulates that only male members can inherit the throne and any female member who marries a commoner loses her royal status.
As a result, many women including Prince Hisahito’s older sister Mako Komuro have left the royal family after marrying outside of the aristocracy.
This male-only succession rule has created an issue for the future of the monarchy. As of now, the line of succession includes only three male members, Crown Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito and Prince Hitachi, the 88-year-old uncle of Emperor Naruhito, who is childless.
The law has diminished the number of potential heirs and also sparked debate over whether it should be reformed to allow women to ascend to the throne or retain their royal status after marriage.
As the second in line to the throne, Prince Hisahito will eventually be expected to take on responsibilities. He has expressed his desire to focus on his studies and enjoy the remainder of his high school years.
In a statement released by the Imperial Household Agency, he said, “I hope to learn more through each and every experience, absorbing various aspects and growing through them.”
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Prince Hisahito has not publicly spoken much about his eventual duties. Instead his interests lie in the natural world particularly in studying insects.
In fact, he co-authored an academic paper on dragonflies found on the grounds of the Akasaka estate in Tokyo, where he resides with his family.
Prince Hisahito’s birth in 2006 was seen as a moment of relief for the imperial family, as it temporarily halted discussions about allowing women to ascend the throne.
His birth came at a time when there was growing pressure to change the laws to permit Princess Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to inherit the throne.
The number of royal family members capable of performing official duties has been steadily shrinking. Of the 17 current members of the Japanese imperial family, only four are men including Prince Hisahito.
This is due in part to the 1947 Imperial House Law, which mandates that only male heirs can ascend to the throne.
Additionally, female members of the imperial family must leave the royal household upon marrying a commoner as seen in the case of Hisahito’s elder sister, former Princess Mako, who married her university sweetheart in 2021.
The shrinking pool of male heirs has concerns about the stability of Japan’s imperial succession. Aside from Prince Hisahito and Crown Prince Fumihito, the only other male heir is the emperor’s childless uncle, Prince Hitachi, aged 88.
As a result, Prince Hisahito’s status as the last heir apparent has brought attention to the debate over whether Japan should allow female succession.
The question of female succession has been a topic of discussion for several decades. In 2005, under the government of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, an expert panel recommended allowing women to ascend to the throne.
This discussion lost momentum following the birth of Prince Hisahito in 2006, the first new male member of the imperial family in 41 years.
In 2012, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s government proposed a reform that would enable female members to establish their own imperial branches even after marrying commoners, preserving their royal status.
The proposal was shelved after the Noda government was replaced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s more conservative administration later that year.
In December 2021, a government panel discussed the challenges of stable imperial succession, recommending that the issue be addressed in the future.
A huge portion of the Japanese public supports the idea of female succession with Princess Aiko, Emperor Naruhito’s daughter often cited as a popular candidate.
The 1947 Imperial House Law prohibits women from ascending to the throne, Japan’s strict adherence to male-only succession.
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