Wikipedia

Princess Akiko of Mikasa

Princess Akiko of Mikasa(Bân con cái vương,Akiko Joō,born 20 December 1981)is a member of theImperial House of Japanand the elder daughter ofPrince Tomohito of MikasaandPrincess Tomohito of Mikasa(Nobuko). She is also the niece of Japan's 92ndprime ministerTarō Asō(who is the older brother of her mother), great-niece of author and literary criticKen'ichi Yoshida,and great-granddaughter of Japan's 45th prime ministerShigeru Yoshida.

Akiko
Princess Akiko at EmperorNaruhito's enthronement ceremony, 2019
Born(1981-12-20)20 December 1981(age 42)
Tokyo,Japan
HouseImperial House of Japan
FatherPrince Tomohito of Mikasa
MotherNobuko Asō

Biography

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Education

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Snowflakes, designated imperial personal emblem of Akiko

Princess Akiko graduated fromGakushuin UniversityinTokyowith abachelor's degreeinHistory.While she was at Gakushuin, she spent the 2001–2002academic yearstudying abroad atMerton College, Oxfordto major inJapanese art history.[1]

In 2004, she returned to theUniversity of Oxfordas adoctoral studentat theFaculty of Oriental Studies.[2]Her research topic wasWilliam Anderson Collection at theBritish Museum– Western Interest inJapanese Artin the Nineteenth Century.[3] William Anderson(1842–1900) was anEnglishsurgeonwho taughtanatomyand surgery in Japan and became an important scholar and collector ofJapanese art.

In December 2006, Princess Akiko assisted theUniversity of Tokyoin opening a special exhibition on the 19th-century art movement known asJaponism.

In July 2007, she participated in a symposium atOchanomizu Universityon the art collection of William Anderson. From January to May 2008, she was at the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture inHanford, Californiadoing research for her thesis.[4][5]

Akiko became a doctoral student atMerton Collegein theUnited Kingdomfrom October 2004 till January 2010 when she passed her final examination.[2]In 2011, she was awarded aD.Phil.degree from theUniversity of Oxford,[6]thereby becoming the second member of the Japanese imperial household to achieve a doctorate (Fumihito, Prince Akishino,was the first who earned aPhDdegree inOrnithologyfrom theGraduate University for Advanced Studiesin October 1996).

Career

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Princess Akiko worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Kinugasa Research Organization,Ritsumeikan UniversityinKyotofrom October 2009 to March 2012. She was appointed as a Special Invited Associate Professor at the Kinugasa Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University, from April 2012 to March 2013, and was also appointed as a visiting associate professor at the same organization from April 2013 to March 2014, and again as a visiting researcher in May 2014. Akiko was inaugurated as the visiting researcher at theHosei UniversityResearch Center for International Japanese Studies in May 2012. She was inaugurated as the president of Shinyusha, General Incorporated Association in April 2013. She was appointed as a Guest Research Fellow at the Archival Research Center ofKyoto City University of Artsin April 2014 and was inaugurated as the president of the Ski Instructors Association of Japan in the same month.[2]She is also the president of the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan.[2]Princess Akiko has also worked as a guest professor at Kyoto City University of Arts. Other positions held by her include: research fellow at the Institute of Japanese Culture atKyoto Sangyo University,visiting fellow at the Global Exchange Organisation for Research and Education (GEORE) of Gakushuin University, and special guest professor inKokugakuin University.[2]

Public appearances

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At theChōwaden Reception Hall(2 January 2012)

In July 1998, Princess Akiko paid a visit toTurkeyfor the first time. The trip was done under the arrangement of the Middle Eastern Culture Center, an organisation associated with her grandfather. During the trip the Princess viewed the remains ofKaman-Kalehöyükalongside many other sites.[2]Princess Akiko came of age in December 2001 and started attending official ceremonies and events in Japan with the other members of the Imperial Family.

In June 2003, Princess Akiko went on a tour of the heritage of Turkey that her father had planned.[2]

In July 2010, she also visited "the Dedication Ceremony of the Museum of Archaeology Kaman-Kalehöyük, Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology".[2]In January 2011, she went toAustria.The main purpose of this trip was attending the 19th INTERSKI Congress held inSt. Anton.[2]

On 4 September 2013, Princess Akiko departed forArgentinato meet with members ofInternational Olympic Committee,where members wanted to elect the host city for the2020 Summer Olympics,with candidates beingMadrid,Istanbuland Tokyo. Princess Akiko andPrincess Takamadowere part of the Japanese delegation, supporting Tokyo's successful Olympic bid. On 6 September, Princess Akiko toured a Japanese garden in Buenos Aires with the president of Argentina's Japanese Cultural Foundation, Kazunori Kosaka.[7]

She also made an official visit toChilefrom 7 to 12 September 2013. During her stay, Princess Akiko of Mikasa met with PresidentSebastián Piñeraand toured Easter Island. Princess Akiko visitedUniversity of Santiagofor a conference and conversation with the students of Japanese translation and linguistics.[8]She visitedValparaísoViña Viu Manent to learn more about Chileanwine,which is popular in Japan.[9][10]

Princess Akiko meetingÖmer Çelik,Minister of Culture and Tourism,in Turkey on 27 April 2014

From 23 to 30 April 2014, Princess Akiko visitedTurkey.On 27 April, the Princess attended the memorial concert for Prince Tomohito held by the Turkish government. Princess Akiko was named president of the Japan-Turkey Society, a post formerly held by Prince Tomohito.

Princess Akiko attending the ceremony to commemorate victims of theFrigate Ertuğrul Disasterat Kushimoto Town Cultural Center inKushimoto, Wakayama,on 3 June 2015

In May 2016 Princess Akiko made a public appearance at the Fifth World Butoku Sai in Kyoto, Japan sponsored by the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai martial arts organization. This was notable as it was the first time in the event's 121-year history that she had attended.[11]

In September 2018, the Princess undertook a tour of Turkey, during which she met with Turkish officials and visited archaeological sites and museums inIstanbul,Ankara,andKırşehir.[12]She was also appointed as the honorary president of Prince Mikasa Foundation, an institution founded in 2017 to provide support for the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology.[13]

Prince Tomohito's death

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On 6 June 2012, Prince Tomohito died from multiple organ failure. His funeral and ceremony was hosted by Princess Akiko.[14]In June 2013 in a statement about the Prince's household, it was announced by the Imperial Household Agency that "it [had] reduced the number of households in the Imperial family by one", integrating it into the household led by his father.[15]According to the agency's officials the household integration won't have any effect on the lives of the widow and daughters of Prince Tomohito.[15]

Health

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On 6 December 2013, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko returned from their visit toIndia.The Imperial Family gathered atHaneda Airportto greet them. At the airport, Princess Akiko suddenly collapsed. She was taken toKeio UniversityHospital and was diagnosed with cerebralanemia.[16][better source needed]

In 2017, she was reported to have visited Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine's hospital in Kyoto due toasthmaand high fever.[16]

At the end of July 2022, Princess Akiko was admitted toKyoto Prefectural University of Medicine HospitalinKyotodue to an asthma attack. It was discovered, however, that she hadCOVID-19and her symptoms were described as muscle aches and fever.[17][18]

Honours

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Monof the Mikasa branch of the Imperial Family
See also:List of honours of the Japanese Imperial Family by country

National honours

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Honorary degrees

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Honorary positions

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  • Honorary Patron of the Japan-British Society[20]
  • President of the Japan-TurkeySociety[20]
  • Honorary Patron ofJapan Rugby Football Union[20]
  • Honorary President of the Classics Day Prize Committee[20]
  • President of Shinyusha, General Incorporated Association[20]
  • President of the Professional Ski Instructors Association of Japan[20]
  • President of the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan[20]
  • President of the Prince Mikasa Foundation[20]
  • President of Ichimura Foundation for New Technology[20]
  • Honorary Chairman of Kokka Seiwakai[20]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Princess Akiko cleared for Oxford".The Japan Times.8 August 2001.Retrieved14 April2009.
  2. ^abcdefghi "Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Mikasa and their family".Imperial Household Agency.31 March 2009.Retrieved14 April2009.
  3. ^"Oriental Studies Research Students".22 January 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 22 August 2009.Retrieved14 April2009.
  4. ^Hanford Sentinel, 12 April 2008
  5. ^"Imperial princess doing research in California".Cultural News.August 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 4 December 2008.Retrieved19 August2008.
  6. ^Obituary of Prince Tomohito of MikasaArchived1 October 2013 at theWayback Machine–Oxford Today
  7. ^"Japan's Princess Akiko of Mikasa".firstpost.Retrieved13 December2013.
  8. ^"Histórica visita: princesa imperial de Japón se reúne con estudiantes de la Universidad".viumanent.cl.Retrieved10 September2013.
  9. ^"Japanese Imperial Princess enjoys an engaging visit and delicious luncheon at Viu Manet winery".viumanent.cl. Archived fromthe originalon 12 January 2016.Retrieved13 December2013.
  10. ^"Japanese Princess Visits Chile".ilovechile.cl. Archived fromthe originalon 13 December 2013.Retrieved13 December2013.
  11. ^"Martial Arts Team Travels to Japan, Brings Home Competition Accolades".Old Dominion University.Retrieved20 October2016.
  12. ^"FM Çavuşoğlu meets with Japanese Princess Akiko".Hürriyet Daily News.11 September 2018.Retrieved1 November2018.
  13. ^"Japanese Princess Akiko takes foundation chair in Istanbul".Hürriyet Daily News.14 September 2018.Retrieved1 November2018.
  14. ^"Prince Tomohito's funeral draws 660 luminaries".Japan Times.Archived fromthe originalon 19 July 2012.Retrieved9 January2013.
  15. ^ab"Prince's 2012 passing reduces Imperial household families by one".Japan Times.Archived fromthe originalon 26 April 2016.Retrieved13 December2013.
  16. ^abBloks, Moniek (5 January 2017)."Princess Akiko of Japan hospitalized for high fever and asthma".Royal Central.Archived fromthe originalon 21 March 2019.Retrieved10 October2021.
  17. ^"Bân tử さま, kiểu mới コロナ cảm nhiễm でご nhập viện"(in Japanese). The Sankei News. 31 July 2022.Retrieved31 July2022.
  18. ^"Nhật Bản bân con cái vương chẩn đoán chính xác COVID-19 hoàng thất đệ 4 người"(in Japanese). Money.udn. 31 July 2022.Retrieved31 July2022.
  19. ^"Hoàng cư で “Tân niên chúc mừng の nghi” 4 năm ぶりティアラ dùng ( 2024 năm ngày 1 tháng 1 ) ".YouTube(テレ đông BIZ).1 January 2024.Retrieved28 April2024.
  20. ^abcdefghijk"Her Imperial Highnesses Princess Mikasa and her family".The Imperial Household Agency.Retrieved3 May2023.
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