Renovated residence for Crown Prince Akishino, his family unveiled

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:55 JST, November 23, 2022

Renovations at Crown Prince Akishino’s official residence at the Akasaka Estate in Tokyo were shown to the media on Tuesday.

Located in Moto-Akasaka, Minato Ward, the residence is a two-story reinforced concrete structure with a basement and expanded floor area of 2,972 square meters, almost double the pre-renovation area of 1,540 square meters.

Costing about ¥3 billion, the renovations mainly involved expanding reception areas and office space for Imperial Household Agency officials.

Members of the media were shown the main hall, reception areas and dining rooms where the family will receive guests. The walls have been constructed with nonflammable materials, and LED lighting has been installed for energy-conservation purposes.

The renovated building has chandeliers, marble shelves and other original fixtures dating back to when the residence was constructed for the late Prince Chichibu in 1972.

The crown prince’s family will move into the building by the end of March next year. The family has been living in an adjacent building, which will become an office space for agency officials and others after the move.