Prince Hisahito of Akishino
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Prince Hisahito of Akishino (悠仁親王, Hisahito Shinnō, born 6 September 2006) is the youngest child and only son of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Japan.[1][2] He is the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the throne after his father, Fumihito.
| Hisahito | |
|---|---|
 Prince Hisahito in 2020 | |
| Born | Hisahito (悠仁) 6 September 2006 Aiiku Hospital, Tokyo, Japan |
| House | Imperial House of Japan |
| Father | Fumihito, Prince Akishino |
| Mother | Kiko Kawashima |
Before his birth, the ongoing Japanese imperial succession debate had resulted in some politicians holding a favorable view on removing agnatic primogeniture imposed by World War II allies on the constitution of Japan. However, once Hisahito was born in 2006 he became next in the line of succession following his father. Hisahito's cousin and Emperor Naruhito's only child Princess Aiko remains at present legally unable to inherit the throne, while debate about the possibility of having future empresses regnant continues.
Birth
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Hisahito was born at 08:27 JST (23:27 UTC) on 6 September 2006 at Aiiku Hospital, Tokyo. He was delivered by Caesarean section, two weeks early, after complications in the pregnancy.[1]
Hisahito is the only son and youngest child of Fumihito, Crown Prince Akishino, and Kiko, Crown Princess Akishino.[3] He has two older sisters, Mako Komuro and Princess Kako of Akishino. He was first seen in public on 15 September 2006, outside Aiiku Hospital.[3]
Hisahito, the Prince's personal name, chosen by his father, means "serene and virtuous", according to the Imperial Household Agency.[3] An alternative translation is "virtuous, calm, everlasting".
Hisahito was the first male child born to the Imperial House of Japan since his father in 1965. In January 2007, the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzō Abe, announced that he would drop an earlier proposal to change the Imperial Household Law so as to allow females to inherit the throne. The proposal had been made because the brother and two sons of Emperor Akihito had, at the time, no sons of their own. As a result of Hisahito's birth, it now seems increasingly unlikely that the laws will be changed to allow Hisahito's cousin, Princess Aiko, daughter of the Emperor Naruhito, to become a reigning Empress and thus end the Japanese succession debate.[4] The supporters of changes criticized the current law as it placed a burden on the few aging males old enough to perform royal duties as females left the family.[5]
Titles and styles
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6 September 2006 His Imperial Highness Prince Hisahito of Akishino
The mon represents the Japanese umbrella-pine tree (kōyamaki).
References
change- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Japan princess gives birth to boy". BBC News. 6 September 2006. Retrieved 5 September 2006.
- ↑ Walsh, Bryan (5 September 2006). "Japan Celebrates: It's a Boy!". Time. Archived from the original on 13 May 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2006.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Japan's new prince seen in public". BBC. 15 September 2006. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- ↑ Yoshida, Reiji (27 March 2007). "Life in the Cloudy Imperial Fishbowl". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
- ↑ Kōichirō, Takahashi (25 July 2014). "The Future of Japan's Dwindling Imperial Family". Retrieved 26 July 2014.
Other websites
change- "Their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino and their family". at the Imperial Household Agency website. Archived from the original on 7 July 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
Prince Hisahito of Akishino Born: 6 September 2006
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| Lines of succession | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Prince Akishino |
Succession to the Japanese throne 2nd in line |
Succeeded by Prince Hitachi |