Prince Hisahito: Heir to the Throne
Prince Hisahito of Japan, nephew of Emperor Naruhito, turns 17 on Wednesday, September 6. Adulthood is approaching and the Japanese Imperial House has released a statement on the future plans of the boy, destined to become emperor one day as the only son of the current heir to the throne, Prince Fumihito. According to the imperial house, everything is ready for Hisahito’s coronation ceremony, an event that will take place in the spring of 2025, during which the emperor will give him his first crown, a piece for which the imperial house has already requested an allocation of over 2.5 million yen (about 16,000 euros). Although this is a customary rite for male members of the imperial family, Prince Hisahito’s coronation will be doubly special: all hopes for the future of the imperial house are pinned on him.
The Line of Succession
The prince is the only member of the family under the age of 50 in the line of succession to the throne, which is forbidden to women of the family and which currently consists of only two other people: Hisahito’s father, 57 years old, and Prince Masahito, an uncle of the current emperor who is almost 90 years old. It is therefore very likely that Hisahito will be the next emperor of Japan, a future for which there are few hopes for the emperor’s only daughter, Princess Aiko. Prince Hisahito will also be the first male member of the imperial family to receive the crown so young, as until recently the age of majority in Japan was set at 20 years. He will only be 18 years old, but since by September next year he will not have finished high school yet, it has been decided to postpone the ceremony at least until the spring of 2025. What worries the imperial family is when such a ceremony will be held again, since the rest of its members are women. Being unable to access the throne, the dynasty could be endangered if Prince Hisahito grew up without male descendants, a prospect for which no measures have yet been taken.
The Future of the Imperial House
Prince Hisahito of Japan is the only son of the current heir to the throne, Prince Fumihito. He is the only member of the family under the age of 50 in the line of succession to the throne, which is forbidden to women of the family. Hisahito’s coronation will be doubly special: all hopes for the future of the imperial house are pinned on him. What worries the imperial family is when such a ceremony will be held again, since the rest of its members are women. Being unable to access the throne, the dynasty could be endangered if Prince Hisahito grew up without male descendants, a prospect for which no measures have yet been taken.
