The Imperial Household Agency has recorded the departure of Mako Komuro, the former Princess Mako of Akishino.
Mako’s departure from the Imperial Family was recorded in the Imperial Family register last week after she married Kei Komuro on 26 October.
Grand Steward of the Imperial Household, Nishimura Yasuhiko, signed off on the register. After a female member of the Imperial Family marries, the family register has to be altered to revise the lineage records of the family. Female Imperial Family members are not allowed to retain their titles and stay in the Imperial Family once they marry a commoner, which is their only option.
There have been discussions in Japan about changing the Imperial Household Law to allow women to head their own branches of the family, but it has not made it out of the discussion stage.
Only men are allowed to inherit the Japanese throne, meaning Japan has a succession crisis as there are only three people in the line of succession. One person in the line is Emperor Naruhito’s 85-year-old uncle, Prince Masahito. The future of the monarchy rests on the shoulders of Mako’s younger brother, 15-year-old Prince Hisahito.
Kei and Mako Komuro are expected to relocate to New York after the former princess receives her passport (Imperial Family members are not required to have them). Mr Komuro is employed in a New York law firm.
The Imperial Household Agency has requested that Mako’s privacy be respected now that she is a private citizen.
