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Japan

Princess Aiko’s first official royal duty revealed

The first official royal duty of Japan’s Princess Aiko has been revealed by the Japanese Imperial Household.

Princess Aiko, 20, will attend the New Year Receptions as her first official royal duty since coming of age in early December. The events will take place on New Year’s Day 2022.

The ceremonies will begin at 10 am local time at the Imperial Palace.

The traditional public greeting of the Emperor and his family will not take place on 2 January at the Imperial Palace due to the global health situation. A video message from Emperor Naruhito will be released instead.

Her first official court duty was also announced. She will attend the memorial ceremony for Emperor Taisho on 25 December.

The Imperial Household has said that Aiko’s studies will come before her imperial duties.

Aiko is the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. She currently attends Gakushuin University, where she studies Japanese literature and language. Although she is the only child of the Emperor, she is not in the line of succession or allowed to succeed to the throne. In Japan, women are barred from reigning in their own right and by law must leave the Imperial Family upon marriage to a commoner.

As a result, Japan only has three people in the line of succession. First in the line of succession is the Emperor’s younger brother, Crown Prince Akishino; he is followed by his 15-year-old son, Prince Hisahito. Third and last in the line of succession is the Emperor’s uncle, 86-year-old Masahito, Prince Hitachi.

About author

Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. She's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites including Global News Canada, ABC News Australia, WION India and BBC World News.