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Japan

Princess Ayako to receive ¥107 million after she marries commoner

Princess Ayako of Takamado will receive ¥106,75 million (around $951.551,00 or £728.050,70) from the Japanese government after her marriage to commoner Kei Moriya later this month. The lump sum payment will be provided in order to maintain her high standard of living after the loss of her royal status, according to the Imperial Household Law. The amount she is set to receive is the upper limit stipulated in the law.

The payment was approved unanimously at a meeting of the Imperial House Economy Council, which consists of eight members, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the presidents of the two chambers of the Diet and the head of the Imperial Household Agency. The money will be exempt from income tax.

The Princess and her future husband first met last December, according to the Imperial Household Agency. Kei Moriya is a 32-year-old graduate of Keio University who now works for the shipping firm Nippon Yusen K.K. Princess Ayako is a graduate of the Josai International University in Chiba Prefecture and earned a master’s degree in 2016. She is currently working as a research fellow at the Faculty of Social Work Studies. She is known for her interests in soccer and skiing and is a qualified childminder. She was born on 15 September 1990. Her father died in November 2002 at the age of 47 of heart failure. Her father was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito.

After the weddings of Princesses Ayako and Mako, the number of the Imperial Family members will drop to 17, of which 12 are female. A resolution was added to the Emperor’s abdicated law, which called on the government to start deliberating the succession issues and to include an option to allow a Princess to establish their own branch within the Imperial Family after they marry a commoner.

Princess Ayako and Kei Moriya are set to marry on 29 October 2018.