Japan’s Prince Hisahito Turns 18, Hoping to ‘Cherish’ Last Few Months of High School; Ceremonies to Mark Reaching Adulthood to Take Place in Spring or Later

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:00 JST, September 6, 2024

Prince Hisahito, the son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, turned 18 on Friday.

In a statement issued to mark his becoming an adult member of the Imperial family, Prince Hisahito said he hopes to learn more “through each and every experience, absorb various things and “grow through them.”

Prince Hisahito, who is second in line to the throne, is a third-year student at a Tokyo high school, which is affiliated with the University of Tsukuba.

Prince Hisahito has reached adulthood while still in high school because of a 2022 Civil Code revision, which lowered the age of adulthood from 20 to 18. Prince Hisahito became the first male Imperial family member to reach adulthood since the crown prince did so in 1985.

Ceremonies to mark becoming an adult member of the Imperial family have traditionally been held on the member’s birthday. However, Prince Hisahito’s ceremonies will be held in spring next year or later to avoid any conflict with his preparations for university. The ceremonies include wearing a crown given to him by the Emperor and the Choken-no-Gi first audience with the Emperor and Empress.

In his statement, Prince Hisahito said he wanted to “cherish” his remaining months of high school and to continue working hard to pursue his future ambitions.

According to the Imperial Household Agency, Prince Hisahito is very interested in natural history, especially insects and their habitats. Prince Hisahito is studying hard to enter a university at which he could learn about and explore this field even further.