'National Top 1% Intelligence' Resembling a 4-Language Elite Mom... Heartwarming Story Maker Princess Aiko [Japanese Side]

Naruhito's Only Daughter... Increasing Public Favor with Heartwarming Stories
Renewed Attention on the 'Royal Succession' Issue
Calls to Abolish Male-Only Succession Emerge

Recently, news was reported that the only daughter of the Emperor of Japan got a job at the Japanese Red Cross Society. Japan is a unique country with a monarchy, unlike our country. You might wonder if news about the Emperor's only daughter should even be reported in our country, but interest in Princess Aiko is intense. This is because there was even a heated debate about changing Japan's imperial succession to allow Aiko to inherit the throne.

Today, we share the story of Princess Aiko, who has been introduced in our country over the past week.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Aiko is the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito. She was born in 2001 and has been loved since birth. The reason is that Naruhito and his wife married in 1993 but were unable to have children for a long time due to miscarriages and other reasons. In Japan, the birth of a princess (a title for female royalty) was celebrated with a statement from then-Prime Minister Koizumi, and people gathered in front of the palace to celebrate.

Although our country has no royalty, in Japan there is a belief that the royal family members are divine beings rather than humans. When the media reports on Aiko, they always attach the honorific suffix 'sama' after her name.

The problem is that Aiko is an only daughter. In Japan, the throne can only be inherited by males. This means Naruhito cannot pass the throne to Aiko.

However, the issue was resolved when Naruhito's younger brother, Fumihito, had a late-born son in 2006. Since there was no heir, the succession could go to Fumihito and then to his son Hisahito.

But the public perception of Aiko and Fumihito is completely different. Aiko showed excellent academic performance, ranking in the top 1% nationwide since elementary school. In the Japanese imperial society, where special admission is possible without studying, Aiko's intelligence attracted attention.

Aiko wearing a tiara, with her aunt Sayako Kuroda on the right. (Photo by NHK)

In fact, the tiara Aiko wore at her coming-of-age ceremony in 2021 became a hot topic. It is customary for royal women to have a custom-made tiara for their coming-of-age ceremony. The tiara is made with royal family funds, i.e., taxpayers' money. Moreover, when a princess marries and leaves the royal family, she must return it. Cousins Mako and Kako had tiaras worth 28.56 million yen (about 258 million KRW) and 27.93 million yen (about 250 million KRW), respectively. However, Aiko attracted attention by borrowing a tiara her aunt had worn, saying that she could not waste taxpayers' money during Japan's difficult situation due to COVID-19.

Also, Aiko's mother, Queen Masako, is known as "Japan's Princess Diana" because she suffered from royal family pressures. Although she gave birth to a child, she was continuously pressured by the royal family to have a son because a daughter could not continue the lineage.

Masako was originally an elite who passed the foreign service exam and was pursuing a career as a diplomat, but she ended up trapped in the completely closed Japanese imperial family. Despite being fluent in English, French, Russian, and other languages, she was prevented from accompanying overseas visits under the pretext of health management to have a son, effectively isolating her from the outside world.

In 2004, the Imperial Household Agency, which manages the royal family, announced that "Masako is suffering from adjustment disorder." Various rumors, including that she attempted extreme measures, were reported. Eventually, Emperor Naruhito stated, "There are people who deny Masako's personality in the royal family," causing a major stir in Japanese society. However, after his accession, contrary to rumors, he actively engaged in various diplomatic activities, which increased public sympathy and national favorability.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

On the other hand, Fumihito's family caused a stir inside and outside Japan once again with Princess Mako's marriage. The marriage faced opposition due to reasons such as her fianc?'s unstable job and being from a single-parent family, followed by controversies about his mother's private life. Because of this, the couple became unpopular with the public, and protests were held opposing the marriage, saying "Don't tarnish the royal family."

For these various reasons, voices calling for allowing women to inherit the throne are growing in Japan. In 2016, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women requested revisions to the Japanese imperial family regulations. A 2021 Kyodo News poll showed that 82% of respondents supported a female emperor. When Aiko was born, Prime Minister Koizumi considered recognizing her as heir, but the plan was scrapped due to conservative opposition. Still, it is widely analyzed that the conservative royal family, which causes controversy even with marriages, will not gain momentum for change.

As Aiko's succession to the throne becomes increasingly unlikely, she is scheduled to work as a contract employee at the Japanese Red Cross Society starting in April after graduating from university next year. Queen Masako serves as the honorary president. Aiko has shown interest in welfare activities through her university classes. Through a representative, Aiko said, "I am happy to be engaged in work I am usually interested in," and "Although small, I hope to be of some help to people and society."

As this news spreads, voices calling for abolishing the male-only succession rule are rising again, saying, "Wouldn't it be better for Aiko to become the emperor rather than Fumihito's family?" There is even a fan cafe campaigning to "Make Aiko the Emperor." Attention is focused on whether winds of change will reach the conservative Japanese imperial family.