September 8, 2025
New Delhi – Prince Hisahito, the son of Crown Prince Akihino and Princess Kako, is expected to soon take up official duties and attend his coming-of-age ceremony on Saturday.
The 19-year-old prince is second only to the throne. As the Imperial family grows older, Prince Hisahito has high expectations for a greater role in official duties.
After returning to his parents’ residence after the awards ceremony Saturday night, the reporter asked about the prince’s future wishes. He replied: “I will fulfill my role as an Imperial Family member and have a sense of responsibility as an adult Imperial Family member.”
Conventionally, activities as an adult member of the Imperial family are started after completing a ritual of adulthood. Even after turning 18 last year, Prince Hisahito did not participate in activities such as greetings to the public this year.
The Constitution and Imperial Law did not designate the duties of members of the Imperial family, but its main role was considered to be the duties of supporting the emperor. Crown Prince Akishino, 59, participated in domestic events and made a foreign visit. He also serves as the head of 15 organizations.
Prince Hisahito is currently a first-year student at Tsukuba University and is expected to prioritize his studies. However, according to sources, he is being arranged to attend family events during the summer vacation this month.
Prince Hisahito accompanied his parents to perform formal duties. At the age of 13, he and his sister Princess Kako (now 30) participated in the National Youth Speech Competition for the first time. During high school, he attended the opening ceremony of the All-Japanese High School Culture Festival with his parents for three consecutive years, learning how to perform official duties.
Crown Prince Akihino served as president of the Yamashina Institute of Ornithology. He also participated in equestrianism and other activities.
“Prince Hisahito’s maturity will begin after graduation, but he may gradually increase his official responsibilities when consulting with his parents,” said a senior family agency official.
Princess Aiko
As the number of members of the imperial family during the Reva era decreased, female members were expanding their scope of activities. Princess Aiko, the 23-year-old daughter of the emperor and the queen, will attend a national conference to promote disaster risk reduction in Nigata City.
On Monday, Princess Aiko will visit the former Yamakoshi village, which was destroyed by the Chuetsu earthquake in Niigata Prefecture, and speak with local residents and others.
Princess Aiko often travels to the area on weekends as part of the Japanese Red Cross work. This year, she also visited areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake and the Osaka-Kensis Expo 2025. She also often attends greeting foreign guests.
Princess Aiko plans to make an official overseas visit to Laos for the first time in November. The Imperial Family Agency plans to bring her support staff from one to three.
Princess Kako also energetic to perform her official duties, performing 61 solos last year. During her visit to Brazil in June, she traveled to eight cities and participated in more than 40 events. Using her sign language skills, she maintains close relationships with people with disabilities.
Information Outreach
The emperor took the position of honorary emperors attaching importance to “walking with the people” and attaching importance to interaction with the public. To expand young people’s understanding of the Imperial Family, the agency launched an official Instagram account last April. In August this year, it began sharing information about other members besides the emperor and his family.
However, since there is no heir, after marriage, he has no heirs and members of the Imperial Empire family leave the family, so it is inevitable that the size of the Imperial Family will be reduced.
Due to Prince Hitachi’s age, the 89-year-old younger brother of the Emperor, Crown Prince Akihino, was actually the only male imperial family member who could serve as the emperor’s agent. Therefore, expectations for Prince Hisahito.
“Prince Akishino is burdened so Prince Sahito may take over some of his public offices,” said Emeritus professor at the University of Welfare and an expert in the Imperial Family Systems. “There is no time to delay discussion measures to ensure stable imperial succession, and the ruling and opposition parties should negotiate on this issue as soon as possible.”
