Press Conference on the Occasion of the Birthday of His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Akishino (5th year of Reiwa)

Press Conference on the Occasion of the Birthday of His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Akishino

Press Conference by His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Akishino on the Occasion of His Birthday (2023)

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Press Conference on the Occasion of the Birthday of His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Akishino

Question 1
I would like to ask about your residence. With regard to the refurbishment of the Prince Akishino Residence, please tell us what discussions your family had and how it came about that Princess Kako continues to live in the annex after the refurbishment of your (main) residence, and why changes that had been made to the initial plan were not (initially) disclosed. The public has various views about the circumstances and timing of the (Imperial Household Agency’s latest) disclosure of the refurbishment costs of your residence as well as the fact that Princess Kako continues to live in the annex, and about the explanations that have been made, so please tell us what Your Highness’ thoughts are. What are your thoughts on the sort of response required to obtain the understanding of the public?

Crown Prince Akishino

Before answering the question, I think that it would be helpful to first explain that our residence implies where our family live, or in other words our private apartments. The recent refurbishment was for our private apartments, and also for the public section, the spaces where we greet guests at events and hold various briefings. I think that these two spaces could be called our residence in the broader definition. In addition, the recent refurbishment was also for an administrative section of the Imperial Household Agency, (called) the Crown Prince’s Household (not our private apartments). Regarding the extension, this administrative section of the Imperial Household Agency, (called) the Crown Prince’s Household (not our private apartments), accounts for 66%, the largest portion of this refurbishment’s extension. Furthermore, the public section, which was formerly where Princess Chichibu resided, had hardly been touched, and its facilities had deteriorated considerably after fifty years. With the refurbishment of this public section having been postponed for a considerable period, it had reached a point when it could not be put off any longer(, and there was also a need to bring the interior finishing materials into compliance with current fire-proofing regulations). The extension of the public section, the spaces where we greet guests at events and hold various briefings, accounts for 29% of this refurbishment’s extension. The extension of our private apartments accounts for around 5% of this refurbishment’s extension. I think that what is now the topic attracting various comments is largely because these three sections are being considered together. But on the other hand, the breakdown into these three sections was not adequately clarified in the (latest) disclosure (made) by the Imperial Household Agency. I think that the (Imperial Household Agency’s latest) explanation was insufficient (on the breakdown into these three sections). I ask for understanding on that. Was the next part of the question on what was not (initially) disclosed?

Interviewer

Please tell us what discussions your family had and how it came about that Princess Kako continues to live in the annex (after the refurbishment of your main residence).

Crown Prince Akishino

From the beginning of this refurbishment work, my wife and I, as well as our two daughters, all shared the idea of not building rooms for our two daughters in our refurbished main residence. The reason for this idea was that it would be a waste in a sense to build rooms in our refurbished main residence for our daughters, who are supposed to leave our main residence eventually, and in fact our elder daughter had already married before the refurbishment of our main residence was completed. As my wife and I, as well as our two daughters, all shared this idea, this decision was made extremely smoothly, by reaffirming in a sense this shared idea of ours rather than by discussing it. As our family would be using a combination of our main residence and part of the annex that had served as our temporary residence, it was not (initially) disclosed that our younger daughter Kako continues to live separately in the annex. To start with, details of specifically who is living where have never been disclosed (before). The reason why it was not initially disclosed that our younger daughter Kako continues to live separately in the annex was because details of who is living where are a private matter. The other reason was because naturally there are also security issues. Later, however, what led to the (Imperial Household Agency’s latest) disclosure in June that our younger daughter continues to live in the annex, was that this was regarded as a major change (that had been made) to the initial plan, together with the other major change to preserve this Akasaka East Residence (where I am speaking to you all now at this press conference) as a jointly-used residence by the dropping of its integration into our residence. Is this an adequate answer to this part of the question?

Interviewer

On the circumstances and timing of the (latest) disclosure.

Crown Prince Akishino

What led to the (Imperial Household Agency’s latest) disclosure, or particularly, the timing of the (latest) disclosure? As I mentioned earlier, it took time to integrate various opinions into the (Imperial Household Agency’s latest) disclosure given (that) the works involved both our residence (in the broader sense including the public section) and (the office space of) the administrative section of the Imperial Household Agency called the Crown Prince’s Household. If it were not for this reason, I think that it would have been better if the (Imperial Household Agency’s latest) disclosure had been made at the end of the Japanese fiscal year (the end of March), but it took longer for various reasons. In addition, I was quite slow as the ultimate approver at the stage of finalizing the substance of this (latest) disclosure (by Imperial Household Agency). In other words, my reflection is that the timing of the (Imperial Household Agency’s latest) disclosure was greatly delayed by my putting off giving my approval.

That is all as regards the timing.

Interviewer

With regard to the timing of the (latest) disclosure, what slowed down your approval?

Crown Prince Akishino

What slowed it down was that I put off giving my approval. I think that a timely disclosure was required by being more actively engaged.

Interviewer

Various views have been expressed by the public about the circumstances and timing of the (latest) disclosure. What are your thoughts on the sort of response required to obtain the understanding of the public?

Crown Prince Akishino

On these matters, obtaining the understanding of the public depends on whether the understanding is or could be obtained in advance of the implementation. So I think that it is quite difficult to obtain the understanding of the public once a disclosure has been made. But I thought that the circumstances (I mentioned earlier at the start of my answer to this question) need to be first communicated.

That is all for this question.

Question 2
Eight months have passed since the Public Relations Office was newly established at the Imperial Household Agency for the purpose of enhancing the dissemination of information about the Imperial Family. Please tell us how consideration is progressing on the timely dissemination of information, and on “setting thresholds” if one were to counter (articles and opinions of the sort that might be taken as bashing), as Your Highness mentioned in previous press conferences. Please tell us also your opinion on and the challenges at present for the dissemination of information about the Imperial Family, on your impressions of articles and opinions on SNS (Social Networking Services) that might be taken as bashing against your family, and whether there are matters regarding countering these that you are discussing with the Imperial Household Agency. Disseminating information about the Imperial Family beyond its official activities would also lead to deeper understanding of the Imperial Family, but please tell us Your Highness’ thoughts.

Crown Prince Akishino

The Public Relations Office was newly established at the Imperial Household Agency this April. More than six months have passed since it was established, but I have not been engaged with it in any way. But I suspect it is at the stage when various things are currently being considered at the Public Relations Office. I cannot say much as, with regard to the first question earlier, information disclosure on my own part was not timely, but I am of the view that naturally, the timely dissemination of　accurate information on the Imperial Household Agency's website is very important. Also, regarding the (Imperial Household Agency's) website, I have heard that it will be renewed in the not too distant future, and therefore I hope that the renewed website would be a place for disseminating information in a good way.

Interviewer

Please tell us about “setting thresholds” if one were to counter articles and opinions (of the sort that might be taken as bashing), as Your Highness mentioned in previous press conferences.

Crown Prince Akishino

I mentioned at last year’s press conference, too, that I think it would be extremely difficult to set thresholds (to cope with articles and opinions of that sort). If I were to respond in some way, it would require a comprehensive set of guidelines, and I think that continued consideration of some kind of guidelines would be required.

That is all for this part of the question on thresholds.

Interviewer

Please tell us your opinion on and the challenges at present for the dissemination of information about the Imperial Family.

Crown Prince Akishino

On disseminating information about the Imperial Family, this is a repetition of what I mentioned earlier, but it is very important to disseminate information about the Imperial Family in a timely manner. Though the Public Relations Office has been established, if I were to point out a task requiring further consideration in the future, it would be how the Office is to operate in close contact with each individual household, including my household, because the Office will need to keep in close contact (with each individual household), while there are also human resource constraints. How the Office is to collaborate with the households is, I think, a matter that requires further consideration.

Interviewer

Please tell us about your impressions of articles and opinions on SNS (Social Networking Services) that might be taken as bashing against your family.

Crown Prince Akishino

On articles and opinions on SNS (Social Networking Services) that might be taken as bashing, first, it is difficult to give my impressions. This is because to give my impressions (I would need to know) what percentage of SNS users are posting that sort of opinion, and I know that the percentage of people saying very extreme things is pretty low, so I am of the view that it is probably better to look more broadly than that. It is pretty hard to grasp what the thresholds for bashing are, too, so it is also quite difficult to give my impressions, without knowing what percentage of SNS users are posting those sorts of opinions. I think that impressions would naturally vary, depending on whether the percentage is very high or very low. So, I think that I also need to do some research from here, not about posts that might be taken as bashing against me and my family, but about the overall situation regarding posts of that sort.

Interviewer

Is your present perception (of this sort of post) quite heart-wrenching?

Crown Prince Akishino

It is quite simple, that if I did not see posts of that sort, I would not be disturbed. But naturally I sometimes see posts of that sort. As I mentioned just now, my perception of them would also vary, depending on what percentage of (SNS) users are writing and posting that sort of opinion.

Interviewer

Please tell us whether there are matters regarding countering this sort of post that you are discussing with the Imperial Household Agency.

Crown Prince Akishino

On coping with articles and posts of the sort (that might be taken as bashing), no discussions have been held with the Imperial Household Agency about this. However, this may also be somewhat related to the thresholds mentioned earlier. I think that it is important for the Imperial Household Agency to disseminate accurate information in a timely manner.

Interviewer

Disseminating information about the Imperial Family beyond its official activities would also lead to deeper understanding of the Imperial Family, but please tell us Your Highness’ thoughts.

Crown Prince Akishino

There are also quite a number of things that fall outside the Imperial Family’s official activities, but certainly, as you said just now, disseminating information including non-official matters might be expected to lead to a deeper understanding. Moreover, if the Imperial Family’s activities were to be disseminated as first-person narratives instead of third-person narratives, I think this would further deepen understanding (of the Imperial Family). However as a related matter, I think that it would be difficult to disseminate private activities unless thresholds were set for what could be disseminated. This is because there are some things that are semi-official matters, but there are also some that are completely private, such as visits made during the summer holidays. Another aspect is that inasmuch as it would be a case of disseminating information exclusively on the Imperial Household Agency’s website, I think that naturally this information would be basically (about) official activities and matters. So, as regards the extent of information dissemination that could be accommodated, I think it would be a matter for future consideration, and that it would deserve further consideration. I think that (matters for) future consideration might include, for instance, visits overseas that are unofficial visits, but are nonetheless regarded by the host destinations as official visits, as has occurred in the past.

Question 3
Please tell us about your children. Princess Kako is performing many official activities, in some of which she uses sign language, including her (recent) official visit to the Republic of Peru to foster international goodwill, so please tell us about your expectations for her future activities, your thoughts on marriage for her, what advice you are giving her, and if you are discussing anything with her. Next April, Prince Hisahito will advance to the third grade of high school, and he will come of age in September. Please tell us how he is getting along and growing up recently, what your thoughts are for his future after high school, your expectations for him as an adult member of the Imperial Family, and if Your Highness or your family is discussing anything with him.

Crown Prince Akishino

First, I will start by talking about our younger daughter Kako. She recently made an official visit to the Republic of Peru, which was her second overseas official visit. Though there were flight problems on her way to Peru, she was able to perform all her scheduled engagements there, so I think her stay was a very meaningful one. I think that she is very keenly performing her official activities, in some of which she uses sign language, including her (recent) official visit to the Republic of Peru, as mentioned in the question.

Interviewer

Please tell us about your expectations for Princess Kako’s future activities.

Crown Prince Akishino

On my expectations for our younger daughter Kako’s future activities, as I mentioned at a previous press conference, various host organizations are offering opportunities to her, and many of the events offered are very important for the hosts. Therefore, I hope that she will continue to perform each and every engagement offered to her conscientiously.

Interviewer

On Princess Kako’s thoughts and your thoughts on marriage for her.

Crown Prince Akishino

With regard to marriage, if the time comes when any such discussion comes from our younger daughter Kako, my wish would be to listen to her feelings and thoughts, and to be able to tell her my thoughts and opinions, in discussing it with her.

Interviewer

Please tell us what advice you are giving Princess Kako and if you are discussing anything with her.

Crown Prince Akishino

Is this question on her marriage? There is nothing in particular being discussed at present.

Interviewer

Please tell us about Prince Hisahito. Next April, Prince Hisahito will advance to the third grade of high school, and he will come of age in September. Please tell us how he is getting along and growing up recently, what your thoughts are for his future after high school, your expectations for him as an adult member of the Imperial Family, and if Your Highness or your family is discussing anything with him.

Crown Prince Akishino

As the age of adulthood has now been lowered to eighteen, I have the feeling that time passes fast for our son Hisahito, who will come of age upon turning eighteen in September next year. As for how he is growing up, he is now a second grader at high school and will soon advance to the third grade. Like many (other) students, he has been sitting at his desk (at home) studying for many hours when he is not at school. On the other hand, in between the times he is studying at his desk, he has been pursuing his own interests, which he had already developed. For instance, he observes and monitors dragonfly species, in which he has the most interest, and researches and tests ways of breeding rice, in which he was also already interested. On how our son Hisahito is growing up, I think that probably several years later, I will recall when and in what way he grew up, because as we live together at our residence and are meeting each other almost every day, it is harder for me to notice how and in what ways our son is growing up. I think that his breadth of interests is broadening. I feel that he is developing various interests and that they are becoming interconnected with each other. For instance, researching various things about insects, including dragonflies, has led him on to what would be a suitable habitat for them, and what vegetation would be suited to that habitat.

That is all for how and in what ways he is growing up.

Interviewer

What are your thoughts for Prince Hisahito’s future after high school?

Crown Prince Akishino

On our son Hisahito’s future after high school, I think that what interests he wants to pursue will be most important when he graduates from high school and, for instance, goes to university. I hope that he will go to the sort of place that would enable him to pursue those interests.

Interviewer

What are your expectations for Prince Hisahito as an adult member of the Imperial Family?

Crown Prince Akishino

After coming of age, I suspect that our son Hisahito will prioritize his studies for the time being, so I think that he will not be making frequent public appearances. But of course, I think that he will attend (ceremonies and events) when he is available. I anticipate that various host organizations will gradually offer our son opportunities, as in the case of our younger daughter. Therefore, my hope is that he will also perform each and every engagement offered to him conscientiously.

Interviewer

Please tell us if Your Highness or your family are discussing anything with Prince Hisahito. As Your Imperial Highness mentioned the interests he may want to pursue, too, please also tell us what you are discussing on this point.

Crown Prince Akishino

What I mentioned earlier is in itself also what is being discussed.

Question 4
It will soon be two years since the submission to the Diet of the report from the Government’s advisory panel on ensuring a stable Imperial succession, proposing countermeasures for the declining number of Imperial Family members, so please tell us how Your Highness feels about the present situation that the discussion in the Diet has not made progress. Please also tell us your reflections on the increasing age and declining number of Imperial Family members, and your thoughts on reviewing the Imperial Family’s traditional activities, (including) honorary positions held, and customary official activities.

Crown Prince Akishino

To start with, the discussion in the Diet itself is related to the Imperial institution.* Therefore, I cannot comment on it.

Note*

Article 4 of the Constitution of Japan stipulates that “the Emperor shall not have powers related to government”, and the Emperor refrains from influencing deliberations in the Cabinet and in the Diet. Members of the Imperial Family also

refrain in the same way to avoid inviting misunderstanding that their remarks etc. are taking the Emperor’s thoughts into consideration.

The Grand Steward’s Secretariat of the Imperial Household Agency is responsible for the wording of the note above.

　

Interviewer

Please also tell us your reflections on the increasing age of Imperial Family members and their declining number.

Crown Prince Akishino

I am not sure if this is an appropriate way to describe it, but we are living organisms, so it is inevitable that we age. And it is most natural that the time for which a person lives is finite. So unless there is a next generation, most naturally Imperial Family members will advance in age and decline in number. I think (that) this is inevitable, given also that under the current system (female) members leave the Imperial Family upon marriage.

Interviewer

Please also tell us your thoughts on reviewing the Imperial Family’s traditional activities, (including) honorary positions held, and customary official activities.

Crown Prince Akishino

I am afraid I do not clearly understand what you are referring to here by the Imperial Family’s traditional activities, but is it about the ritual ceremonies of the Imperial Palace?

Interviewer

For instance, honorary positions such as patronages.

Crown Prince Akishino

So if it’s about patronages, traditional activities means (the same as) holding honorary positions.

Interviewer

I meant including honorary positions.

Crown Prince Akishino

I see. If the number of Imperial Family members declines, it would become difficult to fill honorary positions such as patronages. On the other hand, though this might be a rather blunt way to describe it, I think that there are some patronage positions that are specific, which are quite focused on a certain field, and some that are (more) general. Therefore, I think that the general patronage positions could be filled by an Imperial Family member, but for the specific patronages, I am of the view that, naturally one should not take these unless one is extremely interested in or has been engaging in a related field.

Interviewer

Besides that, regarding the Imperial Family's activities, I think that there are many activities that have already achieved their initial purpose, depending on what one’s perspective is, but what are your thoughts on those sorts of activities?

Crown Prince Akishino

I mentioned many years ago that in my view, official activities are rather passive in nature. Therefore, I accept as they come many of the activities that I am called upon to perform. On the other hand, the number of Imperial Family members is declining, too. Considering both factors, I am of the view that it would probably become necessary to conduct some sort of review. However, any such review would not be conducted at my initiative, for instance, with regard to the activities that I am engaging in. I am of the view that this is entirely a matter to be discussed between the organizers (of the activities) and the Imperial Household Agency.

Question 5
Looking back at the past year, would you please tell us about the events that were memorable for Your Highness.

Crown Prince Akishino

Various things have happened over the past year. For example, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is still ongoing, and the conflict between Palestinian militants and Israel, which began last month, is one of the notable incidents. My heart really ached at media reports that particularly in the Gaza strip, where the death toll has been massive, more than 40% of those killed have been children, who represent the future.

Also, I think many people have probably felt that this summer was extremely hot. If my memory is correct, there were media reports that the (average) temperatures measured this year between June and August were the highest ever observed, in other words, the highest ever recorded since statistics started to be kept (in Japan) in 1898. Furthermore, news circulated that July became the earth’s warmest month on record, and Secretary-General Guterres of the United Nations said that “the era of global warming has ended” and “the era of global boiling has arrived”. So this summer being extremely hot was very memorable, and I also feel that climate change is affecting various things.　For instance, with regard to the forest fires that occurred in Hawaii and Canada, I have heard that longer droughts resulting from climate change are also one of the factors that facilitate forest fires. The water level of the Amazon River has also declined significantly this year, which also made navigation difficult, and there were news reports that quite a number of Amazon River Dolphins died, too. Agricultural produce and livestock were also significantly impacted by this extreme heat. On the other hand, speaking of this extreme weather, I think there have been an extremely large number of floods, too. One of the factors causing these natural disasters is climate change, which is partly attributed to human activities (anthropogenic contribution). Therefore, our daily lives are also related to this, so, I was left this year with the very strong impression that each and every one of us needs to think about these matters.

Among the various other news items, I think that Japan’s reclassification of COVID-19 to category 5 (from category 2 equivalent) under the Infectious Diseases Control Law was quite a significant transition when one looks back over the last several years. In Japan various restrictions that had been imposed since early 2020 have been lifted, and I am very pleased that human activities are now being restored close to the pre-COVID situation. For instance, a small number of events that I attend, some accompanied by my wife, which had been restricted to only ceremonies, are holding receptions for the first time in 4 years, enabling us to chat with (awardees and) host organizations just as we used to do. Especially this November, I had a number of these opportunities which enabled me to gain a deeper understanding by also having all sorts of conversations at receptions, although I check in advance who is involved even if there is only the ceremony. I feel all the more appreciative of this, especially after the past 4 years (of restrictions). In any case, I am pleased that these sorts of human exchanges have been restored. However, the reclassification of COVID-19 to category 5 (under the Infectious Diseases Control Law) does not at all mean that SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, which causes COVID-19) has been eradicated. Furthermore, during the period when COVID-19 was reclassified to category 5 from being category 2 equivalent, opinions varied even between experts, and when one looks at the documented exchange of views between them, it is apparent that even now SARS-CoV-2 cannot yet be regarded like the common cold, which belongs to the Alphacoronavirus genus. Moreover, it came as a great surprise when the new Omicron variant emerged, and other variants may appear, so I think that it is important to remain in a state of constant preparedness against infectious diseases.

Also, another thing I would like to mention that is concerning is the rising number of bear attacks in Akita Prefecture and elsewhere in the Tohoku region. The number of human injuries from bear attacks has risen to the highest ever, probably for various reasons including a poor acorn crop (this year). I think that this has also provided an opportunity to rethink human coexistence with or habitat segregation from, the surrounding wild environment.

And pieces of good news that I was very pleased with were the young people who made spectacular showings (this year), for example Mr. Sota Fujii (becoming the first player), who won all 8 major shogi (Japanese board game resembling chess) titles, Mr. Ohtani Shohei (who won this year’s American League Most Valuable Player Award unanimously for the second time in Major League Baseball), and Mr. Tokito Oda (becoming the youngest player to win Grand Slam singles titles in any discipline) in wheelchair tennis.

Speaking of the Imperial Family over the past year, in June, Her Imperial Highness Princess Mikasa marked her 100th birthday. His Imperial Highness Prince Mikasa also enjoyed longevity and lived to age 100. With Princess Mikasa marking her 100th birthday, too, both of the couple marked age 100, which is unprecedented (in the Imperial Family). I think that this is very auspicious, and I pray that Her Imperial Highness Princess Mikasa will remain in good health. These are probably all the news items that were memorable this year.

Interviewer

Thank you.

Related Question 1
Thank you for your time today. In Question 3, in the part regarding Princess Kako, her official visit to the Republic of Peru and official activities in which she uses sign language were mentioned. I heard that she took to Peru a photograph of a musical instrument you had been given on an earlier visit, and showed this (photograph) to the musician who gave you the musical instrument. Please tell us if you have received a report from her about this, and how you felt about it. Also on sign language, Your Imperial Highness delivered a speech (partly) using sign language at this year’s National Sports Festival for People with an Impairment. You said at last year’s press conference that you had learned some sign language from your wife, and that in the future you might learn some from Princess Kako, but did you have any chance to learn some sign language from her on this occasion? Please tell us about these two points.

Crown Prince Akishino

The musical instrument that you are talking of was from Mr. Lucho Quequezana. I think my younger daughter showed a photograph of the musical instrument, which was (being) kept in storage. Because I love the melodies of Mr. Lucho Quequezana’s music, I myself usually listen to his music in my car. So I think that she was very fortunate to be able to listen to his music in a concert this time. Also on sign language, I did not learn anything in particular from our younger daughter this time. I have almost no experience of giving speeches using sign language and lack basic knowledge of it. My speech (partly) using sign language at this year’s National Sports Festival for People with an Impairment was probably the speech that I was most tense about delivering over the past year. I cannot tell what the organizers will ask me to deliver at the time of this Sports Festival next year, but I have the impression that sign language has become quite commonly used as a language.

Crown Prince Akishino

As there appears to be one more question, please ask your question.

Related Question 2
Your Imperial Highness mentioned that Her Imperial Highness Princess Mikasa marked her 100th birthday, and His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus will be marking His 90th birthday next month in December. Please tell us your candid impressions of His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus to mark His 90th birthday, together with how Their Majesties the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita are getting along recently, as you met Them the other day, too, at the concert (commemorating the 70th anniversary of the foundation) of the Imperial Guard Band.

Crown Prince Akishino

His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus marking His 90th birthday will make Him the longest living of all past Emperors (who can be confirmed). I think that this is very auspicious. Their Majesties the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita have started to go out a little more frequently from around the time when COVID-19 subsided somewhat. Recently, I happened to have an opportunity to talk with Them when strolling. I think that to stay vigorous, it is most naturally important to have exchanges with people, as we are having now, and to visit various places.

Is this an adequate answer to your question?　

Interviewer

Thank you.