New Photos of Japan's Princess Aiko to Mark her 23rd Birthday

 

Her Imperial Highness Princess Aiko, who has an imperial title of Princess Toshi, just celebrated her 23rd birthday on December 1, 2024. To mark the occasion, the Imperial Household of Japan released a series of snaps of the princess taken at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. 

Princess Aiko is the only child of Their Imperial Majesties Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. She was born eight years after the wedding of her parents in 1993. However, despite being an only child of the emperor, Princess Aiko is not in line to succeed her father. 

Princess Aiko of Japan. Photo credit: Imperial Household Agency

Japan follows an agnatic law of succession, which prohibits a woman and her descendants from succeeding to the throne. Emperor Naruhito's heir presumptive is his younger brother, Crown Prince Fumihito. 

Princess Aiko's birthday has once again attracted debate on the succession law of Japan, and whether it's time to change the law to male-preference primogeniture succession as the imperial family is dwindling in numbers. 

Princess Aiko of Japan. Photo credit: Imperial Household Agency

Currently, Emperor Naruhito has only three eligible successors: Crown Prince Fumihito, Prince Hisahito, and the 89-year-old Prince Hitachi, the younger brother of Emperor Emeritus Akihito. Japanese citizens are open to the possibility of a female monarch but Japan's conservative lawmakers want to keep the male-only succession law. 

Princess Aiko of Japan. Photo credit: Imperial Household Agency