Japan held a grand ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to mark Prince Hisahito’s coming of age. The 19-year-old, nephew of Emperor Naruhito, received a black silk and lacquer crown.
“I’m grateful for this ceremony,” Hisahito said. “I’ll fulfil my duties as an adult in the imperial family.”
As second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, after his father, Crown Prince Akishino, Hisahito paid respects to the gods and ancestors. The event highlights a looming crisis in succession due to Japan’s male-only rules.
🇯🇵 Japan heralded on Saturday the coming-of-age of Prince Hisahito with an elaborate ceremony at the Imperial Palace, where a succession crisis is brewing.
The nephew of Emperor Naruhito is the second in line to become emperor after his father.
➡️ https://t.co/ba253XBxap pic.twitter.com/FtNoa60ap1
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 6, 2025Japan’s 2,600-year-old imperial family allows only men to inherit the throne. This excludes Emperor Naruhito’s daughter, Princess Aiko, who is 23. In recent polls, 80% of the public favoured letting women become emperors. Tokyo bartender Yuta Hinago said, “It doesn’t matter if a woman or a man becomes emperor.”
A 2005 government panel suggested allowing the eldest child to inherit. But Hisahito’s birth in 2006 paused the debate. Historian Kenneth Ruoff told AFP, “Politicians keep delaying a solution.”
Read: Japan’s Princess Kako’s Humble Economy Flight to Brazil Wins Hearts
Conservatives support the male-only tradition. Modernisers want royal daughters to stay active after marriage or have distant male relatives join the family.
Japan Prince Hisahito, 2nd in line to throne, undergoes coming-of-age rites#PrinceHisahito #Japan #ImperialFamilyhttps://t.co/HUPouE5PUW
— Kyodo News | Japan (@kyodo_english) September 6, 2025Royal women like Empress Masako and Empress Emerita Michiko have faced pressure to produce male heirs. This often led to stress-related illnesses. Hisahito’s sister, Mako, developed PTSD after media scrutiny over her marriage to Kei Komuro. They moved to the U.S. after their 2021 wedding.
Hisahito’s ceremony shows Japan’s struggle to balance tradition with modern values. Changing succession rules could reshape the monarchy and cause broader cultural changes.
