7 Imperial family members, not Imperial couple, will attend state funeral for Abe

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:27 JST, September 21, 2022

Based on precedent, the Emperor and Empress as well as the Emperor Emeritus and the Empress Emerita will not attend the state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sept. 27, the Imperial Household Agency announced Wednesday.

Each of them will instead send envoys to the ceremony at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

The agency said that seven Imperial family members will attend the funeral: Crown Prince Akishino, Crown Princess Kiko and their younger daughter Princess Kako; Princess Nobuko, the widow of Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, and her elder daughter Princess Akiko; and Princess Hisako, the widow of Prince Takamado, and her elder daughter Princess Tsuguko.