• Source:JND
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Japan marked the coming-of-age of Prince Hisahito, the 19-year-old nephew of Emperor Naruhito, with an elaborate ceremony at the Imperial Palace on Saturday. While the occasion celebrated the prince’s entry into royal adulthood, it also highlighted the growing debate over the future of the imperial succession, which remains restricted to males.

During the ritual, Hisahito was presented with a traditional black silk and lacquer crown, symbolising his status as an adult member of the Imperial Family. “Thank you very much for bestowing the crown today at the coming-of-age ceremony,” he said. “I will fulfil my duties, being aware of my responsibilities as an adult member of the imperial family.”

Second In Line But Last Of His Generation

The crown prince’s son, Hisahito, is second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, behind his father, Crown Prince Akishino. Born on September 6, 2006, he is the only male heir of his generation. After him, there is no younger male successor, leaving the world’s oldest hereditary monarchy, stretching back some 2,600 years, with an uncertain future.

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Hisahito has two older sisters, Princess Kako and former Princess Mako, who gave up her royal status after marrying a commoner. Emperor Naruhito, meanwhile, has one daughter, 23-year-old Princess Aiko, who is barred from succession under the 1947 Imperial House Law.

Debate Over Female Succession

Although Japan has had eight reigning empresses throughout its history, the modern law restricts succession to men, a rule first codified in the 1889 prewar Constitution. Public opinion polls, however, consistently show broad support for allowing women, particularly Princess Aiko, to ascend the throne. Analysts warn that with only 16 adult members in the Imperial Family, of whom just three are male, the current system may prove unsustainable. Prince Hitachi, Emperor Naruhito’s uncle and third in line, is already 89 years old.

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The ceremonies marking Hisahito’s new status were steeped in tradition. After donning black ceremonial attire, he travelled by horse-drawn carriage to three palace shrines to pay respects to the gods and ancestors, before meeting Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako in the Matsu-no-Ma, or pine room. His schedule continues with visits to the Ise Shrine, the mausoleum of Emperor Jinmu in Nara, and the tomb of his great-grandfather, Emperor Hirohito near Tokyo. He is also scheduled to attend a luncheon with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and other dignitaries.

Away from royal duties, Hisahito is studying biology at Tsukuba University and has a passion for insects, particularly dragonflies. He has even co-authored an academic paper on surveying dragonflies around his Tokyo residence.