＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:https://skawa68.com/
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
<Added on 2023/5/22> The cost of accommodation at the super VIP hotel for Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko at the British coronation was 60 million yen, four times the price paid by the Emperor and Empress!
According to a report in NEWS POST SEVEN, the following “exalted treatment” was given.
Their stay in the UK was a whirlwind four days and two nights, and they stayed at Claridge’s, a super VIP hotel in central London that is popular with celebrities.
“Prince and Princess Akishino apparently rented out an entire floor for their entire entourage to stay at Claridge’s. Even the smallest “normal” room at Claridge’s costs about 160,000 yen per person per night at current rates. It’s not hard to imagine that staying on the same floor as Prince and Princess Akishino would be several levels above the standard.” (Imperial Household Journalist)
The Emperor and Empress also stayed at Claridge’s for two nights on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral last year, but “they used a total of four rooms, spending around 13 million yen, or about 1 million yen per person per night,” according to another Imperial Household Agency official.
According to TV Tokyo Biz, the cost of the accommodation this time is estimated to be “depending on the fluctuation of the exchange rate, but a simple calculation would suggest that for 12 rooms, it would be 30 to 40 million yen. If there were more security personnel and 20 rooms were booked, it would be 50 to 60 million yen.”
Although it is not possible to make a simple comparison, it is possible that the cost was more than four times that of when the Emperor and Empress stayed there.
<Added on May 4, 2023> Prince and Princess Akishino will be attending the British King’s Coronation, but I believe that either the Emperor and Empress or Princess Aiko would have been more suitable.
The Akishino family, including Prince Akishino himself, Princess Kiko, Princess Mako, Princess Kako, and Prince Hisahito, all have bad reputations and are disliked.
I believe that the “reason for the haters” is, as reported in the weekly newspapers, that they are often selfish and behave in a manner that is unacceptable to us.
1. Specific examples of why the Akishino family is disliked
(1) Prince Akishino himself
①Contradiction between the “statement that the Daijyo Festival will be frugal” and the “3.3 billion yen spent on the luxurious renovation of Akishino’s residence
I have written about this in detail in the articles “Ceremonies based on myths such as the handover of the Three Sacred Treasures and the Daijosai should only be held within the Imperial Family” and “I wonder whether 3.3 billion yen is really necessary to renovate Prince Akishino’s residence. This is a clear contradiction to his remarks about downsizing the Daijosai!” so please take a look.
「三種の神器引継ぎや大嘗祭等の神話に基づく儀式は皇室内だけで行うべき」
「秋篠宮邸改装費に33億円も必要なのか疑問。大嘗祭質素化発言と明らかに矛盾！」
②Indecisive response to Kei Komuro’s mother’s debt troubles and suspicions of fraudulent receipt of survivor’s pension
I have written about this in detail in my article “How long will Kei Komuro and Mako continue to receive special treatment using public funds (tax money)?” so please take a look.
「小室圭・眞子夫妻をいつまで公費（税金）で特別扱いするのか？」
③Not being able to communicate with his daughter Mako
Regarding the issue of his daughter’s marriage, he cited Article 24 of the Constitution(*) and appeared to abdicate responsibility, saying, “It is not a matter that parents should oppose or be involved in.”
(*) Article 24 of the Constitution of Japan
Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of husband and wife as a basis.With regard to choice of spouse, property rights, inheritance, choice of domicile, divorce and other matters pertaining to marriage and the family, laws shall be enacted from the standpoint of individual dignity and the essential equality of the sexes.
Previously, Mako’s marriage to her fiancee Kei Komuro was premised on a ceremony called “Nosai no Gi” (engagement ceremony). However, as not many people were willing to give their blessings, the marriage was held without a ceremony. Mako also declined the lump sum payment given to members of the imperial family who leave the imperial family.
(＊) At a press conference in November 2018, Prince Akishino stated regarding Mako’s marriage that “we cannot carry out the betrothal ceremony, which is equivalent to an engagement,” unless “the situation is such that many people are happy about it and are happy about it.”
④The car used to pick up and drop off Prince Hisahito is purposely waiting outside the school gates, increasing the burden on security.
⑤Request for “reporting restrictions” on weekly magazines
News related to the Imperial Family is often controlled so as not to become “critical of the Imperial Family,” but perhaps due to the constant critical reporting of the Akishino family in weekly magazines, he has requested “press censorship” at a press conference.
⑥Lack of awareness as the next emperor
Prince Akishino’s remarks, which could be interpreted as saying, “I have no intention of becoming emperor,” led to some voices saying, “That is reckless. Is he trying to put a damper on his elder brother’s succession to the throne?”
‘When my elder brother turns 80, I will be in my mid-70s. Then I won’t be able to be emperor.”
In April of this year, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper published Prince Akishino’s words, pointing out the difficulties of ascending to the throne at an advanced age. Some weekly magazines misinterpreted this as a “recommendation for early abdication” for the new emperor, and similar analyses were also spread online. (Quoted from AERadot.)
⑦The Akishino family’s educational policy is “laissez-faire”
The couple (Prince and Princess Akishino) have clearly separated the “public” part of their lives as members of the Imperial Family from the “private” part, and have provided their children with a liberal education that emphasizes independence in the private part of their lives. That is why the daughters have a strong desire to be free to do their own private things, such as hobbies, love, and marriage. (quoted from NEWS POST SEVEN)
（2) Princess Kiko
①Two-faced personality
Although he appears cheerful on the surface, she has a two-sided personality and harbors intense rivalry and jealousy towards Empress Masako, and he appears to treat Imperial Household Agency staff with an arrogant and overbearing attitude.
②Suspicion of using “Imperial Household Privileges” such as “Establishment of Affiliated School System” to decide Prince Hisahito’s educational destination
③Prince Hisahito’s Ambitions for “Recommended Admission to the University of Tokyo”
I have written about this in detail in the article “Is the plan for Prince Hisahito of Akishino to get into Tokyo University through recommendation true? Is the National University Corporation fair?” so please take a look.
④Transformation from “princess of a small house to a woman as greedy as “Mrs. Imelda”
She complained, “Compared to the Crown Prince, we have fewer staff and less money.”
There is also a story (from “The Cold War between Empress Masako and Princess Noriko” in the May 23 issue of Shukan Shincho) that “the number of staff members has increased since the Imperial Family became the successor to the Crown Prince, but the ‘guidance’ she gives to the staff members is as intense as ever.
⑤Plotting to have Princess Akishino attend Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral
⑥Imperial Household Agency officials in charge of the Akishino family are unhappy with Princess Kiko’s strict tactics
The Shukan Shincho (January 3-10, 2019 issue) reported, “The Akishino Palace has traditionally been known as ‘an incomparably difficult place to work’ for the Imperial Household Agency staff. Not only the workload, but also the level of work that Princess Noriko demands of her staff is overwhelmingly high,” the report states.
(3) Mako
①Instead of going to Gakushuin University, she lived a free and easy student life at International Christian University
Some critics say that if Mako had attended Gakushuin, she would not have fallen in love with such a man of uncertain identity, and that the Akishino family’s educational policy of neglecting Gakushuin is problematic.
②She fell in love with Kei Komuro and got married despite the opposition of those around her.
③Holding a one-sided press conference announcing her marriage without any Q&A and announcing that she has “complex PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)”
I have written about this in detail in the article “Mako and Komuro Kei’s wedding press conference is a farce of one-sided self-assertion. Favouriteness towards the Imperial family suddenly declines”, so please take a look.
<「眞子さんと小室圭さんの結婚会見は一方的自己主張の茶番。皇室への親愛感急低下」>
(4) Princess Kako
①She entered Gakushuin University, but transferred to the same International Christian University as her sister and enjoyed a free-spirited student life.
②She is being selfish and wants to live alone in a “temporary residence costing 1 billion yen” instead of living with his parents in the “new Akishino residence, which was lavishly renovated at a cost of 3.3 billion yen.”
(5) Prince Hisahito
①An unusual choice for a child to attend kindergarten, elementary school and junior high school affiliated with Ochanomizu University
②”Plagiarism allegations” regarding a winning essay from a junior high school essay contest
③Admission to the University of Tsukuba High School was through the “Special Exception (Affiliated School) System” after failing the general entrance exam.
There are also rumors that this is essentially backdoor admission.
④Rumored to have a bad attitude, falling asleep in class at a high school affiliated with the University of Tsukuba
As he was the future Emperor, most of the teachers did not give him any stern warning, but one day, a teacher asked him a question to make sure he was really taking the lessons seriously. Prince Hisahito then looked at the teacher with a blank look on his face, as if he never expected to be called on, and suddenly became enraged and started scolding the teacher, saying, “It’s because you’re teaching poorly that I can’t understand! Teach me in a way that’s easier to understand!”
The surrounding students all looked on in stunned amazement. Up until then, there had not been many students who were willing to talk to Eugene, but after this incident, the rumor spread that “Eugene was in trouble,” and more and more students stopped talking to him. This became a problem at the school, and when Noriko learned of the incident, the situation became even more troublesome.
⑤It is rumored that the final exam results for Japanese at the University of Tsukuba High School were the lowest in the grade.
According to school officials, when Princess Kiko learned about the details of the incident, instead of scolding Prince Hisahito, who caused the problem, she pointed out to the school that the problem was that the lessons were too difficult for Prince Hisahito, and asked them to “adjust the level of the lessons to suit Prince Hisahito.” Princess Kiko’s response left many school officials, including teachers, scratching their heads.
If the lessons continue as they are now, it is certain that Prince Hisahito will be unable to keep up and will fall behind, but on the other hand, we cannot lower the level of the lessons that the whole class receives just for Prince Hisahito. It seems that opinions are now coming to a consensus that a special classroom should be set up to give Prince Hisahito special, individual instruction.
⑥There are rumors that he has not been properly educated as an emperor, and that he behaves violently and uses rough language.
He treats the staff of the Imperial Household Agency like servants and apparently imposes unreasonable demands on them. He plays shogi with them, throws the pieces when he loses, and gets angry again when the staff purposely loses. He’s just like a “foolish lord.”
2. The Akishino family’s reputation abroad is terrible.
Japan’s Imperial Family is often respected overseas as it has the world’s longest history, and when they visit overseas, the media often reports that they are warmly welcomed.
However, the Akishino family has a terrible reputation overseas, and it is said that they are banned from European countries. What is the truth?
The Emperor and Empress appear to maintain good relationships with members of foreign royal families, including Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. However, Prince and Princess Akishino appear to be doing some outrageous things while on official business overseas.
(1) Troubles during a visit to Finland and Poland in 2019
①Trouble with use of “civilian aircraft”
Typically, members of the Imperial family use a “government aircraft” when making official visits overseas for official business, but Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko used a “civilian aircraft” in order to “appear as an approachable Imperial family.”
For commercial flights, arrival times are affected by weather and other flight conditions.
When they visited Poland, their arrival at Chopin Airport was delayed, causing a lot of inconvenience to the Polish staff who were there to welcome us.
②Prince Akishino’s major blunder: unable to hold press conference due to excessive drinking
To make matters worse, Prince Akishino drank too much alcohol in first class, making a huge blunder by not being able to hold a press conference at the airport upon arrival and arriving at the State Guest House where he was staying at 11:30 pm.
It seems that because he arrived in the middle of the night, the welcoming lights remained on until late into the night, which was a shameful situation.
③Princess Kiko’s rudeness in passing in front of the President causes trouble
Furthermore, during a courtesy visit to the President of Poland, Princess Kiko made an embarrassing move when she tried to cross in front of the President but was stopped by an attendant standing next to her and had to go around behind him instead.
Perhaps as a result of all these instances of rudeness, a photograph of Princess Kiko with the Polish president and his wife in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw was made public around the world in which she was the only one missing the red carpet.
(2) Explosive shopping for gifts during official overseas business
Also, during a goodwill visit to Finland, she managed to squeeze in a tour of a furniture workshop that was not originally scheduled for her official duties, and ended up purchasing furniture worth around 20 million yen there.
This is apparently because there is no limit on the amount of gifts that can be received during official overseas visits, leading to shopping sprees.
And since all of this cost will be expensed, it will be funded with tax money and delivered to the Akishino family.
Apparently, Kiko was ecstatic about being given such royal privileges from the moment she joined the royal family.
It seems that whenever Princess Kiko went abroad, she would enter a boutique and shout, “I’m not going home until I get my Birkin out!”
(3) It was disrespectful of him to miss the state banquet held during the visit of the U.S. President to Japan and visit Thailand instead.
Furthermore, when then-U.S. President Clinton visited Japan in 1996, Prince Akishino did not attend the state banquet, but instead visited Thailand to conduct research on catfish.
The date for the President’s visit to Japan had been decided long before, but he prioritized his visit to Thailand, which caused a stir in the weekly magazines, with people wondering if it was rude of him to do so. There were even articles published alleging that he had a mistress in Thailand.
(4) He requested to attend Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral but was promptly turned down.
The Emperor and Empress were invited to the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth, who passed away on September 8, 2022.
In response to Princess Kiko’s request, the Imperial Household Agency reportedly asked Prince Akishino to attend the funeral, on the grounds that “Prince Akishino will be the next Emperor,” but when this was conveyed to British officials, they clearly refused, with the excuse that “that family is not suitable for Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral.”
It seems that because of their rude behavior and lack of royal attitude, they are avoided by foreign royal families and dignitaries.
Certainly, if things continue like this, it will undermine the authority of the Imperial Family that has been so carefully built up by the previous Emperor and Empress, the current Emperor and Empress, and various other members of the Imperial Family.
3. The background to the growing desire for Aiko to become Emperor
In contrast to the bad reputation of the Akishino family, the reputation of the current Emperor and Empress’s eldest daughter, Princess Aiko, is skyrocketing, and there seems to be a growing demand for Princess Aiko to become Emperor. I personally agree with this.
In particular, her first press conference after coming of age was extremely impressive. I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt that “this lady is truly worthy of being the next emperor.”
On March 17, 2022, Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the current Emperor and Empress, held her first press conference as an adult member of the imperial family.
Seeing Princess Aiko’s behavior during the press conference, Yukiko Yamawaki（Family issues counselor） commented, “I feel that there is a big difference in the education that the parents give to their children and in the ‘cultural differences’ between the current imperial family and the Akishino family.”
This is possible because during the press conference, Aiko expressed her gratitude to her parents, saying, “I am deeply grateful for the amount of love they have showered on me and raised me,” and “I also want to tell them, ‘Thank you for giving birth to me.'” However, during her marriage press conference, Mako was not seen to express her gratitude to her parents.
Yamawaki added, “During the press conference, Princess Aiko also said that the role of the Imperial Family is to ‘carry out our duties while sharing the joys and sorrows of the people,’ and I felt that this was a declaration and expression of her intention to ‘live as a member of the Imperial family.'”
In these respects too, Princess Aiko and Ms. Mako are in contrast to each other, with Ms. Mako simply appealing to us, the people, about “the difficulty of leaving the Imperial Family and the difficulty of remaining a member of the Imperial family.”
Princess Aiko was educated from an early age as the “daughter of the Emperor,” and showed the public how to “behave as a member of the imperial family” and how to “be prepared as a member of the imperial family.” As the “daughter of the Emperor,” the Emperor and Empress seem to have watched over Aiko with love, even though they sometimes gave harsh opinions.
It was probably because he grew up watching such parents that he was able to express to us at the press conference his gratitude to his parents and his feelings for the people.
On the other hand, Prince Akishino has had doubts about being contained within the framework of the “royal family” since he was young. He is okay with “behaving in a way that is not royal,” and this applies not only to himself but also to his children.
There are likely many reasons for this, but Prince Akishino’s decision not to allow Prince Hisahito to attend Gakushuin Elementary School may also reflect this side of him.
“free family culture” and “laissez-faire education” are by no means bad, but if the result is Mako’s wedding press conference, Prince Hisahito’s educational policy will need to be reviewed. There may be the thought that “I want him to live a life that is not typical of the imperial family,” but Prince Hisahito is the future emperor.
The title of “next emperor” will weigh heavier on Prince Hisahito than his parents realize. In order to withstand that pressure, I think he should have learned “how to be a member of the imperial family” from a young age, like Princess Aiko.