Tokyo: The Princess of Japan Mako married a commoner and lost the status of her kingdom on Tuesday in a union who had divided public opinion after a three-year delay was caused by financial disputes involving her new mother-in-law.
Wedding documents for Mako and Kei Komuro were submitted by a palace official Tuesday morning and now officially, said the Imperial household body.
No longer a Royal, Mako has now taken her husband’s family name and becomes Mako Komuro – the first time he has a family name.
In the family of the Japanese Empire, only a male member who was named the household, while female members only had a degree and had to leave if they marry ordinary people.
The example of this presting era patalism, still alive by the imperial family, is also reflected in Japanese gender policies that are criticized because they have been outdated, including laws that require married couples to only use one family name, almost always husband.
New brides will make a statement at a press conference in the afternoon but will only provide a written answer to the question because Mako shows fear and anxiety for what will be asked, said the agency.
Mako recovered from what was explained by the palace doctor earlier this month as a form of traumatic stress disorder he developed after seeing negative media coverage about their marriage, especially attacks on Komuro.
There will be no wedding dinner and there is no other wedding ritual for the couple.
Their marriage is not celebrated by many people, the agency said.
Mako, who was 30 three days before the wedding, was the nephew of Emperor Naruhito.
He and Komuro were classmates at the Tokyo International Christian University when they announced in September 2017 that they intend to get married the following year, but financial disputes appeared two months later and married marriage.
Disputes involve whether the money received by his mother from his fiance’s mark is a loan or gift.
Mako’s father asked Komuro to clarify, and he wrote a self-defense statement, but it was still unclear whether the dispute was fully resolved.
Komuro, 30, left for New York in 2018 to study the law and was only returned to Japan last month.
His hair, tied with a ponytail, attracted attention as a brave statement for someone who married a daughter in the imperial family that was bound by tradition and only added criticism.
Mako has also declined to mate 140 million yen ($ 1.23 million) who has the right to leave the imperial family, palace officials said.
He is a family member of the first imperial since World War II not to receive payments while marrying ordinary people and choosing to do so because criticism of him married a man who is considered not worthy of the princess.
On Tuesday morning, he left the palace wearing a pale blue dress and holding a bouquet.
He bent out of his parents’ residence, the son of Crown Akishino and the crown of Kiko’s crown, and his sister Kako, and then the sisters hugged each other.
The law of the Empire’s house only allowed the succession of men and needed women to leave their kingdom status when they married commoners, practices that have reduced the number of members of the royal and successor to the throne.
After Naruhito, there was only Akhinino and his son, Prince Hislahito, in the ranks of succession.
The expert panel appointed by the government is discussing the steady succession of the Japanese monarchy, but conservatives still reject women’s succession or allow women to lead the imperial family.
Japanese daughter Mako married a commoner, losing the royal status
