Empress Masako facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Masako
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The Empress in 2023
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| Empress consort of Japan | |
| Tenure | 1 May 2019 – present |
| Enthronement | 22 October 2019 |
| Born | Masako Owada (小和田雅子) 9 December 1963 Minato, Tokyo, Japan |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | Aiko, Princess Toshi |
| House | Imperial House of Japan |
| Father | Hisashi Owada |
| Mother | Yumiko Egashira |
| Signature |  |
Masako (雅子, born Masako Owada (小和田雅子, Owada Masako); 9 December 1963) is the Empress of Japan. She is married to Emperor Naruhito.
Empress Masako was born in Tokyo, Japan. She studied at Belmont High School in Massachusetts, USA. Later, she went to Harvard College and earned a degree in economics. She also studied law at the University of Tokyo and international relations at Balliol College, Oxford. Before becoming a princess, she worked as a diplomat for Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Masako met Crown Prince Naruhito in 1986. They got married in 1993. Their only child, Aiko, Princess Toshi, was born in 2001. For a while, there was a discussion about changing the rules for who could become emperor or empress. This was because only males could inherit the throne. However, when Naruhito's brother, Prince Fumihito, had a son, Prince Hisahito, in 2006, the rules were not changed. This means Princess Aiko cannot become empress after her father.
The pressure to have a male heir affected Masako's health. In 2004, she was diagnosed with an adjustment disorder. This meant she sometimes had to take breaks from public life. As crown princess and now empress, Masako has traveled with her husband on official visits to other countries. She also attends important ceremonies in Japan.
Contents
Early Life and School Days
Masako Owada was born on December 9, 1963, in Tokyo. She is the oldest daughter of Yumiko Egashira and Hisashi Owada. Her father was a senior diplomat and used to be the president of the International Court of Justice. Masako has two younger twin sisters, Setsuko and Reiko, born in 1966.
When Masako was two, her family moved to Moscow, Russia, where she went to kindergarten. At age five, her family moved to New York City, USA, and she attended kindergarten there.
In 1971, the Owada family returned to Japan. Masako went to Futaba Gakuen, a private Catholic girls' school in Tokyo. Her mother and grandmother had also gone to this school. At Futaba, Masako learned piano and tennis. She joined a handicrafts club and loved animals. She even thought about becoming a veterinarian. She also learned French and German. With a friend, Masako helped restart the school's softball team. She played third base and helped her team reach the district championships.
In 1979, during her second year of high school, Masako and her family moved back to the United States. They lived in Belmont, Massachusetts, near Boston. Her father was a visiting professor at Harvard University. In 1981, Masako graduated from Belmont High School. She was president of the National Honor Society and was part of the math team and French club. She also played on the softball team and won an award for her German poetry.
After high school, Masako's father moved to Moscow, but Masako stayed in Boston. In 1981, she started at Harvard College. She led the school's Japan Society. She also helped as a "self-appointed diplomat" to improve relations between Japan and the United States. Masako enjoyed skiing and traveled during her vacations. She is fluent in English and French. She earned her degree in economics from Harvard in March 1985.
Working as a Diplomat
After graduating from Harvard, Masako returned to Japan. For six months, she studied law at the University of Tokyo. She was preparing for the entrance exam for the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Out of 800 people who took the exam, only 28 passed, and Masako was one of them. Two other women also passed.
She was first assigned to a division that handled Japan's relationships with international groups like the OECD. This group works on free trade and development. People said she did very well because she was so good at speaking different languages. In her free time, Masako took cooking classes to learn how to make Japanese dishes for foreign guests.
In 1988, the Ministry chose Masako for a two-year study program overseas. She wanted to go back to Harvard for her master's degree. However, she ended up studying international relations at Balliol College, Oxford. She did not finish her thesis there and returned to Japan in 1990.
Meeting the Prince and Marriage
Masako first met Prince Naruhito at a tea party in November 1986. The prince was very interested in her and arranged to meet her several times. Because of this, the news media followed them closely in 1987.
For a time, Masako's name was removed from the list of possible royal brides. This was due to a past issue related to her maternal grandfather's work with a company called Chisso Corporation.
Even though Masako went to Oxford University for two years, Naruhito remained interested in her. Masako did not want to marry the prince at first. She felt it would mean giving up her promising career as a diplomat and losing her freedom. She finally accepted his third proposal on December 9, 1992. It was said that he told her being Crown Princess would be "another form of diplomacy." The Imperial Household Council officially announced their engagement on January 19, 1993. The engagement ceremony was held on April 12, 1993.
Masako married Crown Prince Naruhito in a traditional wedding ceremony on June 9, 1993. After marrying, she became Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princess of Japan. As is tradition, she received a special flower as her personal symbol: the Japanese Ramanas rose. She was also placed in the Japanese Imperial Order of Precedence, which means her rank in formal events.
Masako was the third commoner (someone not born into royalty) to marry into the imperial family. The others were her mother-in-law, Empress Emerita Michiko, and her sister-in-law, Crown Princess Kiko.
Children
Masako became pregnant in December 1999.
The Emperor and Empress have one daughter: Aiko, Princess Toshi (敬宮愛子内親王, Toshi-no-miya Aiko Naishinnō, born 1 December 2001 at Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo Imperial Palace).
Succession Rules
The birth of their daughter, Aiko, sparked a discussion in Japan. People wondered if the law about who inherits the throne should be changed. The current law, from 1947, says only males can become emperor. Some people wanted to change it so a woman could also become empress.
In October 2005, a group of experts suggested changing the law to allow women to inherit the throne. In January 2006, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said he would propose a bill to allow women to become empress.
However, plans to change the law were put on hold. In February 2006, it was announced that Masako's brother-in-law, Prince Akishino, and his wife, Princess Akishino, were expecting their third child. On September 6, 2006, Princess Akishino gave birth to a son, Hisahito. Under the current law, Prince Hisahito is third in line to the throne, after his uncle (the Emperor) and his father (Prince Akishino).
Crown Princess of Japan: Public Duties
As Crown Princess, Masako and Naruhito traveled to many countries. In 1994, they visited Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain. In 1995, they went to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. They returned to Jordan in 1999. That same year, they went to Belgium for a royal wedding. In 2002, they visited New Zealand and Australia. In 2006, they went to the Netherlands with their daughter, Princess Aiko, for a private visit.
On April 30, 2013, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess attended the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. This was Crown Princess Masako's first official trip overseas in eleven years. In October 2014, she attended a special dinner for King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima at the Tokyo Imperial Palace. This was her first time at such a ceremony in eleven years. In July 2015, Princess Masako traveled to Tonga with the Crown Prince for the Coronation of King Tupou VI.
Empress of Japan: Current Role
On April 30, 2019, Masako's father-in-law, Emperor Akihito, stepped down from the throne. His oldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, became the 126th Emperor of Japan on May 1, 2019. His wife, Masako, became the empress consort. The Emperor and Empress were officially enthroned at the Tokyo Imperial Palace on October 22, 2019.
Naruhito and Masako's first trip abroad as emperor and empress was in September 2022. They went to the United Kingdom for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. In June 2023, they visited Indonesia, which was their first state visit.
In March 2024, Masako and Naruhito visited Wajima and Suzu. These cities were affected by the Noto earthquake. The couple also visited an evacuation center in Anamizu on April 12, 2024.
Masako and Naruhito went on a three-day state visit to the United Kingdom in late June 2024. They were invited by King Charles III. This visit was originally planned for 2020 but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 7, 2025, the imperial couple visited Iwo Jima. They went to remember the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. This was the first time a Japanese monarch had visited the island since 1994. In July 2025, the Imperial couple made an eight-day state visit to Mongolia.
Health and Support
Masako has sometimes taken breaks from public life, especially between 2004 and 2014. This was reportedly due to emotional challenges. These challenges were thought to be caused by the pressure to have a male heir and adjusting to life in the Imperial Family. In July 2004, she was diagnosed with an adjustment disorder.
On July 11, 2008, Naruhito asked the public to understand his wife's health. He said, "I would like the public to understand that Masako is continuing to make her utmost efforts with the help of those around her. Please continue to watch over her kindly and over the long term." The pressures to have a male heir, follow old traditions, and deal with public life were seen as reasons for her illness.
In December 2012, on her 49th birthday, Masako thanked the Japanese people for their support. She said she was still receiving treatment. The Japanese Constitution does not allow members of the Imperial Family to be involved in politics. Naruhito made some comments about the difficulties his wife faced from the Imperial Household Agency.
In 2019, Masako attended official events and her husband's accession ceremonies. When U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited Japan in April 2019, Masako and Naruhito spoke with them without interpreters. Both the Emperor and Empress are fluent in English. Her doctors have said that she has not fully recovered, but her strong sense of duty helps her fulfill her responsibilities.
Titles and Honours
Titles and Styles
- June 9, 1993 – April 30, 2019: Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princess
- May 1, 2019 – present: Her Majesty The Empress
Honorary Positions
- Honorary President of the Japanese Red Cross Society (she was formerly vice president as the Crown Princess)
Honorary Degrees
- Doctor of Civil Law, University of Oxford (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Masako para niños
- Emperor of Japan: Succession
- Japanese imperial succession debate
