Aiko, Princess Toshi

## Aiko

*Princess Toshi*

*21st birthday, 2022*

## Media

Princess Toshi
at the Imperial Household Agency website

Gallery

**Aiko, Princess Toshi** (敬宮愛子内親王, *Toshi-no-Miya Aiko Naishinnō*, born 1 December 2001) is a member of the Japanese imperial family. She is the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan.

Following her birth, the ongoing Japanese imperial succession debate had resulted in some politicians holding a favorable view on rescinding agnatic primogeniture imposed by World War II allies on the constitution of Japan. However, in September 2006, her uncle Prince Fumihito had his son Prince Hisahito, thus securing the line of succession. Aiko remains at present legally ineligible to inherit the throne, although some debate about the possibility of having future empresses regnant continues.

## Early Life

### Birth

Aiko was born on 1 December 2001 at 2:43 PM in the Imperial Household Agency Hospital at the Tokyo Imperial Palace. She was the first and only child of the then-Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Naruhito and Masako.

Name
In a break with tradition, Aiko's name was chosen by her parents, instead of by the Emperor. It was selected from clause 56 of Li Lou II, one of the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Mencius. *Aiko*, the princess's personal name, is written with the kanji characters for 'love' (愛) and 'child' (子) and means "a person who loves others". The princess also has an imperial title, *Princess Toshi* (敬宮, toshi-no-miya), which means "a person who respects others".

### Succession Debate

*Main article: Japanese imperial succession debate*
The Imperial Household Law of 1947 abolished the Japanese nobility and under provisions of this law, the imperial family was streamlined to the descendants of Emperor Taishō. The current laws of succession in Japan prevent inheritance by or through women.

Aiko's birth sparked debate in Japan about whether the Imperial Household Law should be changed from the current system of agnatic primogeniture to absolute primogeniture, which would allow a woman, as firstborn, to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne ahead of a younger brother or male cousin. Although Imperial chronologies include eight empresses regnant in the course of Japanese history, their successors were always selected from amongst the members of the paternal Imperial bloodline, which is why some conservative scholars argue that the women's reigns were temporary and that male-only succession tradition must be maintained in the 21st century.

A government-appointed panel of experts submitted a report on 25 October 2005, recommending that the Imperial succession law be amended to permit absolute primogeniture. On 20 January 2006, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi used part of his annual keynote speech to address the controversy when he pledged to submit a bill to the Diet letting women ascend to the throne in order that the Imperial throne be continued into the future in a stable manner. Koizumi did not announce a timing for the legislation to be introduced nor did he provide details about the content, but he did note that it would be in line with the conclusions of the 2005 government panel.

Birth of male cousin
Proposals to replace agnatic primogeniture were shelved temporarily after it was announced in February 2006 that Aiko's uncle, Fumihito, Prince Akishino, and his wife, Kiko, Princess Akishino, were expecting their third child. On 6 September 2006, Princess Kiko gave birth to a son, Prince Hisahito, who was third in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne at the time under the current law. On 3 January 2007, Prime Minister Shinzō Abe announced that he would drop the proposal to alter the Imperial Household Law. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the succession laws will be changed to allow Aiko to ascend the throne.

## Education

Aiko attended Gakushūin Kindergarten in Tokyo from 3 April 2006 to 15 March 2008.

In early March 2010, Aiko began to stay home from school due to being bullied by boys in her elementary school. Aiko returned to school on a limited basis on 2 May 2010. After returning to school, a senior palace official said that she would attend a limited number of classes accompanied by her mother, upon advice from a doctor at the then-Crown Prince's household.

In 2014, she enrolled at the Gakushūin Girl's Junior High School.

In the summer of 2018, Aiko made her first solo trip abroad to attend a summer program at Eton College in England. In February 2020, she was accepted at Gakushūin University, where she is currently majoring in Japanese language and literature.

## Public Life

From the age of 16, Aiko began accompanying her parents at public appearances. However, she was ineligible to attend any of her father's 2019 ascension ceremonies in person as she was still a minor at the time.

### 20th Birthday

On 5 December 2021, the Sunday after her 20th birthday, Aiko participated in the traditional formal coming of age ceremonies and was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown by her father, Emperor Naruhito.

### Activities

* 2022

* January
* March
* November

**1st:** Aiko attended the annual New Year's celebration at Tokyo Imperial Palace. This was her first public event as a working member of the imperial family.

**17th:** Aiko participated in her first press conference.

**5th:** Along with her cousin Princess Kako of Akishino, Aiko attended a *Gagaku* concert organized by the Imperial Household Agency.

**24th:** She visited an exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum with her parents.
## Personal Life

On her eighth birthday in 2009, it was revealed Aiko's interests included writing kanji characters, calligraphy, jump rope, playing piano and violin, and writing poetry.

In November 2011, she was hospitalized with pneumonia.

## Titles, Styles, & Arms

Titles & Styles
* **1 December 2001 - present:** *Her Imperial Highness* Princess Aiko
	+ *Imperial title:* Princess Toshi (敬宮, Toshi-no-Miya)

## Honours

* National

Orders
* **Japan**
	+ Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown (5 December 2021)