Prince Hisahito celebrates his 3rd birthday

Prince Hisahito, the third child and only son of Prince and Princess Akishino, turned three on September 6th. Hisahito is the first male child born to the Imperial Family in 41 years and currently holds third place in line to the Japanese Throne, after his uncle and father. Prince Hisahito has 2 older sisters, 17 years old Princess Mako and 14 years old Princess Kako.

Pictures released on occasion of Prince Hisahito’s birthday show him riding a bicycle and later, dressed in traditional Japanese attire. According to reports, the little Prince is a lively boy who enjoys outdoor activities, playing with toy balls and helping with gardening. He is currently 3″1′ tall and weighs about 30 lbs.

His parents and sisters affectionately call him “Yuyu”, “Yu-chan” and “Hisahito-Kun”.

Before Prince Hisahito’s birth, the Imperial Family of Japan had been plagued by lack of male heirs. That led to increasingly vocal calls to amend the Imperial Succession Laws so that Princess Aiko, the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, could ascend to the Throne one day. However, with the birth of the male Heir, the calls for Imperial equality have been largely stifled: in 2007, Prince Minister Shinzo Abe officially announced that he would not go forward with plans to alter the succession laws. Since Prince Hisahito’s birth, his parents have acquired a more prominent role in the Imperial Family: as critics note, they are often called to fulfil engagements befitting the Crown Prince and Princess.

You can find more information about Prince Hisahito, including pictures and videos from his birthday, in this thread.

Filed under Japan
Tagged Birthday, Portraits, Prince Hisahito of Akishino, Succession.

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