Prince Hisahito of Akishino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hisahito |
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Hisahito in 2025
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| Born | 6 September 2006 Aiiku Hospital, Minato, Tokyo, Japan |
| House | Imperial House of Japan |
| Father | Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan |
| Mother | Kiko Kawashima |
Prince Hisahito of Akishino (悠仁親王, Hisahito Shinnō, born 6 September 2006) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan. He is the only son of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko.
Prince Hisahito is the nephew of the current emperor, Naruhito. He is second in line to become the next emperor of Japan, right after his father.
His birth was a very important event in Japan. For many years, no boys had been born into the imperial family. This started a discussion about changing the rules of succession. The rules, which have been in place for a very long time, say that only a man can be emperor. Some people thought the law should be changed so that women could rule.
When Prince Hisahito was born in 2006, the discussion about changing the law stopped. His birth meant there was a male heir to continue the line to the throne.
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Birth and Early Life
Prince Hisahito was born on September 6, 2006, at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo. He was born by Caesarean section because of complications during the pregnancy.
He is the youngest of three children. He has two older sisters, Mako Komuro and Princess Kako of Akishino. The public saw him for the first time on September 15, 2006, when his family left the hospital.
What His Name Means
His father chose his personal name, Hisahito. According to the Imperial Household Agency, the name means "serene and virtuous." It can also be translated as "virtuous, calm, everlasting."
Importance of His Birth
Prince Hisahito was the first boy born into the main imperial family since his own father was born in 1965. Before he was born, there was a serious debate in Japan's government.
Because there were no young male heirs, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe considered a proposal to change the Imperial Household Law. This change would have allowed women to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne. If the law had changed, Hisahito's cousin, Princess Aiko, could have become the empress.
After Hisahito was born, the plan to change the law was dropped. It now seems unlikely that the rules will be changed.
Education
In the spring of 2010, Prince Hisahito started kindergarten at Ochanomizu University Kindergarten. In April 2013, he began attending Ochanomizu University Elementary School. This was unusual because he was the first member of the imperial family to go to a school other than the traditional Gakushūin Primary School. He wanted to stay with his friends from kindergarten.
In April 2019, he enrolled in Ochanomizu University Junior High School. In May of that year, an incident at his school required police to investigate to ensure his safety.
In August 2019, he went with his parents on an official trip to Bhutan.
In March 2021, he won a prize for an essay he wrote for the Children's Nonfiction Literature Awards in Kitakyushu. The essay was about his trip to the Ogasawara islands. Later, it was found that the essay did not properly list all its sources. The Imperial Household Agency and the prince acknowledged the mistake was "inadequate" and sent a corrected version to the award organizers.
In April 2022, Prince Hisahito enrolled in the University of Tsukuba Senior High School. In April 2025, he began studying at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Tsukuba.
Honours
- Japan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (6 September 2025)
See also
In Spanish: Hisahito de Akishino para niños
