Prince Hirohito visits the shrine and sparks a battle for the throne
The battle for the succession to the Japanese imperial family was fierce, with Prince Fumihito becoming the first heir to the throne, followed by Prince Hirohito. Although the emperor has no children, his daughter Princess Aiko has always been a popular candidate for the "female emperor", and the public has been making noise.
In order to secure the possibility of succession to the throne, Prince Hirohito decided to "raid" Ise Jingu, a move that surprised both the imperial family and Jingu officials. Ise Jingu is a place of worship for Amaterasu, a descendant of the gods of the Japanese imperial family, and has a deep relationship with the imperial family, with members of the royal family visiting the shrine when they ascend the throne, get married, and come of age.
Princess Aiko, who is 20 years old, was expected to make an coming-of-age announcement, but due to the epidemic, she was unable to do so. It is reported that the Emperor and Empress will start a tour of the area after the end of October, and they are expected to visit Ise Jingu Shrine at that time.
The Ise Jingu Shrine in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan, is the main place of worship to Amaterasu and has a deep connection to the Imperial Family. However, the recent news that Prince Hirohito is going to make a surprise visit to Ise Jingu has attracted people's attention.
According to Ise Jingu insiders, Prince Hirohito, who is currently in his first year of high school, plans to visit Ise Jingu during the school holidays to visit an exhibition of antiquities held at the Jingu Art Museum, including a thousand-year-old sword, musical instruments, prisms, and bedding.
Many people related to the visit were surprised by the news, and some even asked, "Won't it be Princess Aiko?" The news has reached the Imperial Household Agency, which is in charge of imperial affairs, and the relevant personnel of the Imperial Household Agency are also surprised by Prince Hirohito's sudden "raid" on Ise Jingu, and think that Princess Aiko may feel the same way.
According to officials from the Imperial Household Agency, the identity and status of members in the imperial family are of paramount importance. According to the current order, Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor, is more important than the admission notice of Prince Hirohito, who is second in line to the throne, because Princess Aiko has already reached adulthood in December last year, which is earlier than Prince Hirohito's first year of high school this spring.
No matter which way you look at it, Prince Hirohito's visit to Ise Jingu to give a notice seems out of place, as if he is cutting in line. Therefore, some people think that visiting the exhibition is just an excuse and even gives the impression that Prince Hirohito is ignoring the status of the imperial family.
Although Princess Aiko has reached the age of 20, she has not yet made it to Ise Jingu for her coming-of-age ceremony. According to Yuji Odabe, a professor at Shizuoka University of Social Welfare, the key to Prince Hirohito's successful succession to the throne is to maintain the current prestige of the imperial family.
However, the aftermath of Princess Mako's marriage turmoil and Prince Hirohito's education controversy are still lingering, and the Japanese people's support for Princess Aiko to inherit the throne and break the tradition of a female emperor is growing, so Prince Hirohito is a little anxious about keeping the throne.
Yuji Odabe believes that Prince Hirohito's surprise visit to Ise Jingu may be in the hope of enhancing his presence as the "heir to the throne". However, if he clashes with the emperor's family over his schedule and the fight for the throne, it may have a bad impact on his image and the Akishinomiya family to which he belongs.