September 8, 2025
NEW DELHI – Prince Hisahito, the son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kako, is expected to soon engage in official duties on his own, having attended his coming-of-age ceremony on Saturday.
The 19-year-old prince is second in line to the throne. With the Imperial family growing increasingly elderly, expectations are high for Prince Hisahito to take on a greater role in official duties.
Upon returning to his parents’ residence after the ceremony on Saturday evening, the prince was asked by reporters about his future aspirations. “I’ll fulfill my role as a member of the Imperial family with a sense of responsibility as an adult Imperial family member,” he answered.
It is customary to begin activities as an adult member of the Imperial family after completing one’s coming-of-age ceremony. Even after turning 18 last year, Prince Hisahito did not participate in events such as this year’s New Year’s greetings to the public.
The Constitution and the Imperial House Law do not specify the duties of Imperial family members, but their primary role is considered to be supporting the Emperor. Crown Prince Akishino, 59, attends domestic events and makes foreign visits. He also serves as the head of 15 organizations.
Prince Hisahito is currently a first-year student at the University of Tsukuba and is expected to prioritize his studies. However, according to sources, arrangements are underway for him to attend domestic events during his summer vacation this month.
Prince Hisahito has accompanied his parents on official duties. At age 13, he attended the National Youth Speech Contest for the first time with his sister, Princess Kako, now 30. During high school, he attended the opening ceremony of the All Japan Senior High School Cultural Festival with his parents for three consecutive years, learning how to carry out official duties.
Crown Prince Akishino assumed the presidency of the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology when he was a university student. He also attended equestrian and other events.
“Prince Hisahito’s full-fledged activities will begin after graduation, but he will likely gradually increase his official duties while consulting with his parents,” a senior Imperial Household Agency official said.
Princess Aiko
As the number of Imperial family members supporting the Emperor decreases in the Reiwa era, female members are expanding the scope of their activities. Princess Aiko, the 23-year-old daughter of the Emperor and Empress, was to attend the National Conference for Promoting Disaster Risk Reduction in Niigata City on Sunday.
On Monday, Princess Aiko will visit the former Yamakoshi village, which was devastated by the Niigata Prefecture Chuetsu Earthquake, and speak with local residents and others.
As part of her work for the Japanese Red Cross Society, Princess Aiko has been traveling to regional areas, often on weekends. This year, she also visited areas affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. She also frequently participates in greeting foreign guests.
Princess Aiko is scheduled to make her first official overseas visit to Laos in November. The Imperial Household Agency plans to increase her support staff from one to three.
Princess Kako also energetically carries out her official duties, making 61 solo outings last year. During her visit to Brazil in June, she traveled to eight cities and attended more than 40 events. Utilizing her sign language skills, she stays close to people with disabilities.
Information outreach
The Emperor has carried on the Emperor Emeritus’ stance of placing importance on “the Imperial family walking alongside the people,” valuing interaction with the public. To broaden young people’s understanding of the Imperial family, the agency launched an official Instagram account in April last year. This August, it began sharing information about other members in addition to the Emperor and his family.
However, with no heir after Prince Hisahito and female Imperial family members required to leave the family upon marriage, it is unavoidable that the Imperial family will decrease in size.
Due to the advanced age of Prince Hitachi, the Emperor Emeritus’ 89-year-old younger brother, Crown Prince Akishino is effectively the only male Imperial family member who can serve as the Emperor’s proxy. Expectations are thus placed on Prince Hisahito.
“Crown Prince Akishino’s burden is heavy and Prince Hisahito may therefore take over some of his official duties,” said Yuji Otabe, a professor emeritus of Shizuoka University of Welfare and an expert on the Imperial family system. “There is no time to delay discussions on measures to ensure a stable Imperial succession, and the ruling and opposition parties should move forward with talks on this issue as soon as possible.”