Prince Hisahito of Akishino

Hisahito 悠仁親王
Prince Hisahito with his family in 2013
Born	6 September 2006 Aiiku Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
Full name Hisahito (悠仁)
House	Imperial House of Japan
Father	Fumihito, Prince Akishino
Mother	Kiko, Princess Akishino
Religion	Shinto

Japanese Imperial Family
HM The Emperor HM The Empress HIH The Crown Prince HIH The Crown Princess HIH The Princess Toshi HIH The Prince Akishino HIH The Princess Akishino HIH Princess Mako of Akishino HIH Princess Kako of Akishino HIH Prince Hisahito of Akishino HIH The Prince Hitachi HIH The Princess Hitachi HIH The Princess Mikasa HIH Princess Tomohito of Mikasa HIH Princess Akiko of Mikasa HIH Princess Yōko of Mikasa HIH The Princess Takamado HIH Princess Tsuguko of Takamado HIH Princess Ayako of Takamado

Prince Hisahito of Akishino (悠仁親王 Hisahito Shinnō, born 6 September 2006) is the youngest child and only son of Fumihito, Prince Akishino and Kiko, Princess Akishino.^[1][2] He is the youngest grandchild of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Hisahito is third in line to become Emperor of Japan, after his uncle, Naruhito and his father, Fumihito.

Name

His personal name Hisahito in this case means "serene and virtuous", according to the Imperial Household Agency. An alternative translation is "virtuous, calm, everlasting". His name was chosen by his father, and the Akishino family crest used to mark his belongings is koyamaki (Japanese umbrella-pine) tree.

Education and family

Prince Hisahito is the first son and youngest child of Fumihito, Prince Akishino and Kiko, Princess Akishino. He has two older sisters, Princess Mako of Akishino and Princess Kako of Akishino.

Japanese newspapers announcing the birth of the third in line

Hisahito was the first male child born to the Imperial House of Japan since his father in 1965. In January 2007, the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzō Abe, announced that he would drop an earlier proposal to alter the Imperial Household Law so as to allow females to inherit the throne. The proposal had been made on the basis of the fact that the two sons of Emperor Akihito had, at the time, no sons of their own. Given Hisahito's birth, it now seems increasingly unlikely that the laws will be changed to allow Hisahito's cousin, Princess Aiko, daughter and only child of the heir apparent to the throne, Crown Prince Naruhito, to become a reigning Empress and thus end the Japanese succession controversy.^[3] The supporters of changes criticized the current law as it placed a burden on the few aging males old enough to perform royal duties as females left the family.^[4]

Hisahito celebrated his first birthday amid the glare of cameras at the imperial palace. Newspapers published front-page pictures of the smiling prince standing on a table in pale blue rompers. The Imperial Household Agency stated his weight as 9285 grams (20.4 pounds) and his height as 75 centimetres (30 inches).^[5]

On his third birthday, he weighed 13.6 kilograms and was 94 centimetres tall. He was shown riding a tricycle, and later in traditional dress. The Imperial Household Agency told press that he enjoys lively activities, like riding a tricycle given by his elder sister Princess Kako, playing ball and chasing, and had gradually become able to eat and change clothes by himself. His parents called him "Yuyu", "Yu-chan" and "Hisahito-kun".^[6]

In the spring of 2010, Prince Hisahito began kindergarten at a school affiliated with Ochanomizu University in Tokyo; on 14 December 2012, the Imperial Household Agency announced he would enter Ochanomizu University Elementary School in April 2013 so he could be with many of his friends from kindergarten. The prince thus became the first member of the Imperial House of Japan to receive his education at a school other than Gakushūin Primary School, which is also in Tokyo.^[7] By his second year, he was reported to be doing well at school, helping to look after first-year pupils and playing with his friends.^[8]

Titles and styles

Styles of Prince Hisahito of Akishino
Reference style	His Imperial Highness
Spoken style	Your Imperial Highness
Alternative style	Sir

Hisahito is styled as "His Imperial Highness Prince Hisahito of Akishino".

Ancestry

Ancestors of Prince Hisahito of Akishino

16. Yoshihito, Emperor Taishō               8. Hirohito, Emperor Shōwa                       17. Lady Sadako Kujō               4. Akihito, Emperor of Japan                             18. Kuniyoshi, 2nd Imperial Prince Kuni               9. Princess Nagako of Kuni                       19. Princess Shimazu Chikako               2. Prince Akishino                                   20. Teiichirō Shōda               10. Hidesaburō Shōda                       21. Kinu Shōda               5. Michiko Shōda                             22. Tsunatake Soejima               11. Fumiko Soejima                       23. Aya Soejima               1. Prince Hisahito of Akishino                                         24. Shoichiro Kawashima               12. Takahiko Kawashima                       25. Shima Kawashima               6. Tatsuhiko Kawashima                             26. Shiro Ikegami               13. Itoko Ikegami                       27. Hama Kosuge               3. Kiko Kawashima                                   28. Yoshitaro Sugimoto               14. Yoshisuke Sugimoto                       7. Kazuyo Sugimoto                             30. Shuntaro Hattori               15. Eiko Hattori

See also

• Japanese succession controversy

References

1. "Japan princess gives birth to boy". BBC News. 6 September 2006. Retrieved 5 September 2006.
2. Walsh, Bryan (5 September 2006). "Japan Celebrates: It's a Boy!". Time. Retrieved 5 September 2006.
3. "Life in the Cloudy Imperial Fishbowl," Japan Times. 27 March 2007.
4. "The Future of Japan's Dwindling Imperial Family". Retrieved 26 July 2014.
5. AFP.google.com, Japan's new prince turns one amid public glare
6. Prince Hisahito turns 3+
7. The Japan Times - Prince Hisahito to enter Ochanomizu University Elementary School
8. "Prince Hisahito, third in line to Imperial throne, turns 8". The Japan Times. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2015.

External links

"Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino and their family". Imperial Household Agency.