Prince Hisahito turns 18, first male Imperial Family member to reach adulthood in 39 years

Tokyo (Japan), September 7 (ANI): Prince Hisahito, nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, Emperor of Japan, has reached a significant milestone by turning 18, becoming the first male member of the Japanese imperial family to reach adulthood in nearly four decades. His father, Prince Akishino, came of age 39 years ago, Kyodo News reported.

Prince Hisahito is the only son of 58-year-old Crown Prince Fumihito and 57-year-old Crown Princess Kiko.

As Prince Hisahito celebrated his transition into adulthood on his 18th birthday on Friday, he expressed his willingness to seize opportunities and voiced his desire to learn from each experience. “I hope to learn more through each and every experience, absorb different aspects and grow through it,” the prince said through the Imperial Household Agency, an administrative body for affairs related to Japan's imperial family.

In a statement on Wednesday, he thanked the many people who have supported him over the years, his parents and his older sisters, adding: “I want to cherish my remaining time in high school,” according to Kyodo News.

Prince Hisahito was born on September 6, 2006, and is a third-year student attending high school at Otsuka University in Tsukuba.

The Imperial Household Office also announced that Prince Hisahito's coming-of-age ceremony and accompanying press conference are planned for spring 2025 or later, after he graduates from high school. This decision was made to ensure that his studies will not be affected by the ceremonial events.

Interestingly, the prince is also the first member of the imperial family to reach adulthood under Japan's revised civil code. The revised law lowered the adulthood age from 20 to 18 in April 2022. Princess Aiko, 22, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, celebrated her coming of age after turning 20 in 2021. (ANI)