Princess Mako, Komuro speak of joy after informal engagement

September 4, 2017

TOKYO- Japanese Princess Mako and her fiance-to-be, Kei Komuro, expressed joy at a press conference on Sunday after their informal engagement was announced by the Imperial Household Agency the same day.

"I felt really happy and immediately accepted his marriage proposal," said the 25-year-old princess, the eldest daughter of Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko.

Komuro, also 25, an employee at a law firm in Tokyo, said that he proposed to Princess Mako while they were taking a walk after having a meal together in the capital in December 2013. "I told the princess, 'Let's marry in the future,'" he revealed.

Princess Mako and Komuro met five years ago when they were students at International Christian University in Tokyo.

They started to talk closely after the princess sat behind Komuro at a briefing session held in 2012 at ICU for a student exchange program, according to the princess. The two began to have a dating relationship before Princess Mako went abroad to study.

Princess Mako said Komuro "warmly encourages me," adding, "At the beginning, I was impressed by his shining smile like the sun." Jiji Press