Japan’s Yuriko, Princess Mikasa has been hospitalised for influenza, the Imperial Household Agency announced yesterday.
The 95-year-old was admitted to St. Luke’s International Hospital’s Chuo Ward in Tokyo with influenza type A and a fever of 37C. Her condition is not serious, but she expected to remain in the hospital for around a week.
Her Imperial Highness received the flu vaccination back in November.
The Princess had been suffering from a cold and initially visited the hospital on 22 January due to a fever from the cold.
On 2 January, the 95-year-old was one of the first to visit the Imperial Palace for the New Year’s greetings to Their Imperial Majesties, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. She was said to be in good health during the visit.
Yuriko, Princess Mikasa is the widow of Takahito, Prince Mikasa who died in October 2016. Up until his death, Prince Mikasa was the oldest member of the Imperial Household of Japan. He died just a couple months shy of his 101st birthday. However, the Princess, who is Emperor Akihito’s last surviving paternal aunt, is the eldest member of the family.
She was born as Yuriko Takagi on 4 June 1923 in Tokyo City, Japan, in her family home. Her parents were Viscount Masanari Takagi and Hon. Kuniko Irie. She married her second cousin once removed, Prince Mikasa, on 22 October 1941. Their official engagement ceremony took place a few weeks earlier on 3 October 1941.
The Prince and Princess had five children together: the former Princess Yasuko of Mikasa, Prince Tomohito of Mikasa (1946-2012), Yoshihito, Prince Katsura (1948-2014), the former Princess Masako of Mikasa, and Norihito, Prince Takamado (1954-2002). The couple also had nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Prince and Princess Mikasa were married for 75 years.
