Who Is Japan's Prince Hisahito, 1st Male Heir To Reach Adulthood In 40 Years

Prince Hisahito, the nephew of Emperor Naruhito, has reached adulthood, a first in 40 years for a male member of Japan's imperial family. On Saturday, the 19-year-old had a ceremony to mark his coming of age. He received a black silk and lacquer crown, a traditional symbol of adulthood in the imperial family.

Hisahito thanked the attendees at the ceremony, saying he would fulfil his duties and be responsible as an adult member of the royal family.

"Thank you very much for bestowing the crown today at the coming-of-age ceremony," he said, adding, "I will fulfil my duties, being aware of my responsibilities as an adult member of the imperial family."

Even though Emperor Naruhito has a daughter, Princess Aiko, she cannot ascend to the Chrysanthemum Throne due to Japan's 19th-century male-only succession rules.

Who is Prince Hisahito?

1. He was born on September 6, 2006, in Tokyo's Minato, Japan, and is the youngest child and only son of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan. He is the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the throne after his father, Fumihito.
2. Hisahito is the youngest member of the Imperial Family, which consists of 16 adults. The only two male heirs younger than Naruhito are he and his father. Third in line for the throne is Prince Hitachi, the younger brother of the previous Emperor Akihito, but he is already 89 years old, according to the Japan Times.
3. Hisahito began his schooling at Ochanomizu University Kindergarten in Tokyo in 2010 and then at University Elementary School in 2013. He became the first person from the royal family to attend a school other than Gakushuin Primary School. He is currently enrolled at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences of the University of Tsukuba.
4. In March 2021, Prince Hisahito won second place in a children's non-fiction writing contest in Kitakyushu for junior high students. His essay was about a trip he took to the Ogasawara Islands. But in February 2022, he was accused of plagiarism, according to The Telegraph.
5. He is also known as the dragonfly prince, for he is fascinated by dragonflies. He has even co-authored an academic paper on a survey of the insects on his Akasaka estate in Tokyo. In addition to this, he enjoys playing badminton.