Prince Akishino’s Remark Seen as Reprimand: Agency Official

December 3, 2018

Tokyo--Japanese Prince Akishino's recent statement opposing the use of state funds for the Daijosai ceremony was a reprimand to the Imperial Household Agency, Yasuhiko Nishimura, vice grand steward of the agency, said Monday.

Speaking at a press conference, Nishimura said that the agency regards the remark as the prince's reprimand to itself and not as a remark opposing a policy adopted at a cabinet meeting.

Prince Akishino, the younger son of Emperor Akihito, questioned the government's plans to use public funds for the ceremony, which will be conducted by his elder brother, Crown Prince Naruhito, in November 2019 to pray for the well-being of the people and for a good harvest after he accedes the throne in May that year. He also said that the agency had "refused to listen" to him on the matter.

Prince Akishino will be first in line to the throne after the Imperial succession.

Nishimura said that he is "extremely sorry" that the prince was unable to understand the agency's stance on the ceremony.

"We, as the agency, would like to handle the matter properly so that such events do not occur," he added.

On Prince Akishino indicating that it is impossible to hold an engagement ceremony for his first daughter, Princess Mako, 27, and her boyfriend, Kei Komuro, a commoner of the same age, under current circumstances, Nishimura said that the agency believes that the prince has made "a weighty challenge" on the subject.

The princess and Komuro were initially slated to hold a ceremony for official engagement in March this year and a wedding ceremony in November. After a series of magazine reports on financial problems involving Komuro's family, however, they postponed their marriage-related ceremonies until 2020. Jiji Press