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Princess Kako, niece of Emperor Naruhito, has sparked unexpected controversy among netizens over a blue knit sweater costing 26,000 won that she wore during her official visit to Greece. Some netizens criticized her choice of inexpensive casual wear at an official event attended as a representative of the Japanese Imperial Family, saying it was rather disrespectful.
According to Japanese local media on the 28th, Princess Kako visited Greece on the 26th to commemorate the 125th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Greece. Princess Kako arrived in the capital Athens on the morning of the 26th and plans to carry out official schedules until the 1st of next month. Her itinerary includes attending the 125th anniversary ceremony of Japan-Greece diplomatic relations, touring the Parthenon at the Acropolis, Corfu Island, and visiting facilities for the hearing impaired and orphanages.
Princess Gako touring the Parthenon temple in the Acropolis, a World Heritage site. Photo by Sankei Shimbun
On the first day of her visit, the 26th, Princess Kako toured the Acropolis Parthenon, a UNESCO World Heritage site. At that time, she wore a dark blue short-sleeved knit sweater paired with white wide pants, which was said to evoke the Greek flag.
Information about Princess Kako’s fashion quickly spread online. The knit sweater, presumed to be a product of the Japanese online-only brand 'Pierrot,' is priced at 2,990 yen (approximately 26,000 won) including tax. Princess Kako is said to frequently wear products from this brand. The sweater gained great popularity in the online store, with some items selling out.
However, once the price of the knit sweater became known online, unexpected controversy spread. As of the 30th, related articles had received over 1,600 comments, many evaluating her outfit. Some Japanese netizens commented, "Princess Kako is visiting Greece as a representative of Japan. Wearing appropriate clothing is a courtesy to Greece. There is no need to deliberately choose cheap clothes," "Wearing more expensive and better clothes is etiquette. It’s not about price but about TPO (time, place, occasion)," "We must not lower the dignity of Japanese people. Why wear casual knitwear?" and "Casual wear is fine normally, but don’t citizens usually distinguish between casual and going-out clothes?"
The fact that the brand sells only online is also an issue. It is controversial whether Princess Kako shopped online herself or if someone around her did it on her behalf. On the other hand, some argue, "The idea that you must wear luxury or expensive clothes during overseas visits is itself a prejudice," "That kind of fashion actually enhances the dignity of the Japanese Imperial Family," and "The princess can also buy clothes through online shopping; this is just unnecessary nitpicking."
The Sankei Shimbun, in an article introducing Princess Kako’s fashion during official overseas schedules, stated, "During overseas visits, there are opportunities to showcase casual attire not seen at domestic official events due to outdoor inspections," and noted, "When Princess Kako visited the Peruvian ruins of Machu Picchu, she wore a beige jacket."
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