Japan agency announces Princess Mako’s informal engagement

September 3, 2017

TOKYO- Japan's Imperial Household Agency announced on Sunday the informal engagement of Princess Mako, the first grandchild of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, to former university classmate and commoner Kei Komuro.

Shinichiro Yamamoto, grand steward of the agency, made the announcement at a press conference following a procedure called "saika" earlier in the day, in which the Emperor approved the coming marriage of Princess Mako and Komuro, both 25.

A series of related rituals, including a betrothal ceremony known as "Nosai no Gi," will be carried out before the couple's wedding ceremony, which is expected to take place in autumn next year at the earliest.

Following the marriage, Princess Mako will leave the Imperial Family. Article 12 of the Imperial House Law stipulates that a woman in the Imperial Family shall lose her status of the family if she marries a person outside the family.

Princess Mako, the eldest of the three children of Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, is the first to have an informal engagement among the four grandchildren of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

The young princess' fiance-to-be, a resident in Yokohama, the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, works at a law firm in Tokyo. He is the eldest son of Toshikatsu Komuro, a former employee of the Yokohama city government, who died in 2002, and his wife Kayo, 51.

Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko said in a statement that they look forward to the wedding of Princess Mako and Komuro.

According to Yamamoto, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko appeared to be feeling deeply impressed. The Emperor was quoted as saying, "It's good because the weather is fine today."

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga in a statement congratulated Princess Mako and Komuro on their informal engagement.

Princess Mako and Komuro met five years ago when they were students at International Christian University in Tokyo. They graduated from ICU in 2014.

Following the announcement of the informal engagement, Princess Mako will introduce Komuro to the Emperor and the Empress at the Imperial couple's residence at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. This will be the first time for Komuro to meet with the Emperor and the Empress.

Princess Mako and Komuro are scheduled to hold a press conference from 3 p.m. Sunday (6 a.m. GMT) at the Akasaka Imperial estate in Minato Ward in the Japanese capital. Jiji Press