Prince Akishino Sees First Daughter’s Engagement Impossible Now

November 30, 2018

Tokyo--Japanese Prince Akishino has indicated that it is impossible to conduct an engagement ceremony for his first daughter, Princess Mako, 27, and her fiance, Kei Komuro, a commoner of the same age, under the current circumstances.

"If the two still hope to be married, some appropriate action needs to be taken (by the Komuro side)," Prince Akishino said at a press conference, held to mark his 53rd birthday on Friday.

Following their informal engagement in September 2017, Princess Mako and Komuro were initially slated to hold a "Nosai no Gi" ceremony for official engagement in March this year and a wedding ceremony in November.

In the wake of a series of magazine reports on a financial issue involving Komuro's mother, however, they announced in February the postponement of their marriage-related ceremonies until 2020, citing the need to take time to make preparations.

In August, Komuro left Japan to study at a law school in New York.

During the press conference, Prince Akishino revealed that Komuro currently makes contact with the Imperial Family side once in two or three months and has insisted that some of the magazine reports are not true.

But the prince said that "we can't conduct Nosai no Gi, unless problems are cleared appropriately and many people are ready to celebrate" the young couple.

Also participating in the press conference, his wife, Princess Kiko, 52, revealed that Princess Mako has since late last year claimed to be sick more frequently than before.

"While our family is in a very difficult situation, I feel our first daughter, Mako, is precious and irreplaceable to us," Princess Kiko said. Jiji Press