Tag Archives: Imperial Household Agency

Japanese Princesses May Be Allowed to Form Imperial Branches

  October 8, 2012 at 4:26 am by

The Japanese Government has released a review of its plans of changes in the imperial family system whereby females may be allowed to retain their titles, styles and status after marriages to commoners, and to create their own Imperial branches. Currently, two versions of the proposal exist. The first version allows female members of the family to not only create their own branches within the Imperial Family and retain their … Continue reading →

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Prince Akishino Turns 46, Calls for Emperor ‘Retirement Age’

  December 2, 2011 at 12:33 am by

HIH Prince Akishino of Japan, the second son of HIM Emperor Akihito, celebrated his forty-sixth birthday on November 30th, with a press conference at Tokyo’s Imperial Palace. When discussing the events of 2011, including the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster, the Prince spoke of his father’s many official duties. “When you pass a certain age, it gradually becomes difficult for people to do various things,” he said, after asking … Continue reading →

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Archeologists Discover Tomb of Legendary Japanese Queen Himiko

  June 15, 2009 at 12:35 pm by

According to a report in the Asahi Shimbun, a team of archaeologists have examined artifacts from near Hashihaka, a 280-meter key-hole shaped burial mound, and have discovered evidence that the ancient tomb may belong to Himiko or, in Chinese: Pimiko, the legendary third-century shaman queen of the Yamatai kingdom in Japan. Using radiocarbon dating, the researchers found out that clay fragments from the rim of the mound were made between … Continue reading →

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Photo of Princess Kako leaked onto Internet

  June 11, 2009 at 11:41 am by

A former classmate of Princess Kako at Gakushuin Primary School apparently posted an unauthorized photograph of the princess in a diary on the member-based social networking site Mixi. In the following days, the photo was leaked over the Internet. Fourteen-year-old Princess Kako is the second daughter of Prince Akishino, the younger son of Japan’s Emperor Akihito, and his wife, Princess Kiko. According to the source, the photo showed Princess Kako … Continue reading →

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Five Years Ago: Prince Naruhito’s “Declaration of War” on the IHA

  May 11, 2009 at 7:47 am by

On May 10, 2004, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan was scheduled for a news conference. Nobody expected anything spectacular or even especially interesting from this event. All public relations of the imperial family members are organized by the Imperial Household Agency (IHA) which sets up news conferences only on certain occasions, the most frequent being birthdays and visits of the royals to foreign countries. The journalists who are invited to … Continue reading →

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No Time For Rest – Emperor Akihito’s Busy Schedule

  April 23, 2009 at 10:24 am by

The Imperial Household Agency disclosed recently that it intends to lessen the burden on Emperor Akihito of Japan by reducing his duties throughout the year. Last December, the emperor was diagnosed with arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, and inflammation in his stomach and duodenum. His condition was said to be caused by stress, and in the following days, several of the emperor’s engagements had to be cancelled, for instance, his annual … Continue reading →

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