Prince Hisahito Becomes The First Adult For Japan’s Royal Family After 40 Years

In a significant moment for Japan’s royal family, Prince Hisahito reached the age of 18 on Friday, marking the first time in nearly four decades that a male royal has entered adulthood.

This milestone is important for a family that has ruled for over a millennium but now faces challenges similar to those of the broader population, including a rapidly aging and shrinking demographic.

As the nephew of Emperor Naruhito, Hisahito is expected to one day ascend the throne.

His father, Crown Prince Akishino, was the last male in the family to reach adulthood in 1985, making Hisahito the youngest of the 17 members of the all-adult imperial family, which currently has only four men.

Hisahito’s position as the last heir apparent presents a critical issue for Japan’s imperial system, which prohibits female emperors.

The government is actively discussing ways to stabilize the line of succession without relying solely on male heirs.

Under the 1947 Imperial House Law, only males can inherit the throne, and female royals who marry commoners lose their royal status.

Despite her popularity with the public, Princess Aiko, the daughter of Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Masako, a Harvard-educated former diplomat, cannot ascend the throne due to these rules, even though she is a direct descendant.

The current succession order places Emperor Naruhito first, followed by his brother Akishino, and then Akishino’s son, Hisahito.

After Princess Aiko’s birth in 2001, there was talk of allowing an empress, but that idea was abandoned following Hisahito’s birth in 2006.

In a statement, Hisahito shared his desire to focus on his remaining time in high school. The prince has a noted interest in insects and even co-authored a paper on dragonfly surveys conducted on the grounds of his Akasaka estate in Tokyo.

To address the declining number of male heirs, a government panel in January 2022 suggested that female royals be allowed to retain their royal status after marriage.

They also proposed adopting male descendants from defunct royal families to maintain the male line.

However, critics argue that such measures would have limited impact, especially since the male-only succession was historically supported by the use of concubines, a practice that is no longer acceptable in modern times.