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Born in 1981 as the oldest of two daughters of {{wp|Prince Tomohito of Mikasa|Crown Prince Tomohito}} and {{wp|Princess Tomohito of Mikasa|Crown Princess Nobuko}}, Akiko graduated from {{wp|Gakushuin University}} in {{wp|Tokyo}} before furthering her education at {{wp|Oxford University}} in {{wp|London}}, {{wp|England}}. In 2006, following her grandfather [[Takahito]]'s abdication, a succession crisis arose due to the scarcity of male heirs in the {{wp|Japanese}} imperial family given that two of the former emperor's sons only have daughters as children while the third is childless. Consequently, in 2007, the government of {{wp|Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Shinzo Abe}} successfully amended the succession laws to the throne, thereby allowing women to succeed to the throne once more while also discontinuing the practice of female members of the imperial household having to renounce their titles upon marrying a commoner. Therefore, with the change in succession laws, in 2008, Akiko was officially proclaimed crown princess and later ascended to the throne herself in 2012 after the death of her {{wp|Prince Tomohito of Mikasa|father}} who predeceased his own [[Takahito|father]] by roughly four years. Aged thirty-one at the time of her ascension, Akiko was the youngest reigning monarch and the youngest serving state leader in the world until the ascension of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Queen Alexandra]] who is fifteen years younger.
Born in 1981 as the oldest of two daughters of {{wp|Prince Tomohito of Mikasa|Crown Prince Tomohito}} and {{wp|Princess Tomohito of Mikasa|Crown Princess Nobuko}}, Akiko graduated from {{wp|Gakushuin University}} in {{wp|Tokyo}} before furthering her education at {{wp|Oxford University}} in {{wp|London}}, {{wp|England}}. In 2006, following her grandfather [[Takahito]]'s abdication, a succession crisis arose due to the scarcity of male heirs in the {{wp|Japanese}} imperial family given that two of the former emperor's sons only have daughters as children while the third is childless. Consequently, in 2007, the government of {{wp|Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Shinzo Abe}} successfully amended the succession laws to the throne, thereby allowing women to succeed to the throne once more while also discontinuing the practice of female members of the imperial household having to renounce their titles upon marrying a commoner. Therefore, with the change in succession laws, in 2008, Akiko was officially proclaimed crown princess and later ascended to the throne herself in 2012 after the death of her {{wp|Prince Tomohito of Mikasa|father}} who predeceased his own [[Takahito|father]] by roughly four years. Aged thirty-one at the time of her ascension, Akiko was the youngest reigning monarch and the youngest serving state leader in the world until the ascension of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Queen Alexandra]] who is fifteen years younger.


In 2016, Akiko married {{wp|Kawano Haranobu}}, a {{wp|Japanese}} lawyer and former classmate of hers, becoming the first female member of the {{wp|Japanese}} imperial family to marry without having to renounce their royal titles as previously required. The couple have two sons, namely {{wp|Yokohito, Crown Prince of Japan|Yokohito}} and {{wp|Fuchihito}}.
In 2016, Akiko married {{wp|Kawano Haranobu}}, a {{wp|Japanese}} lawyer and former classmate of hers, becoming the first female member of the {{wp|Japanese}} imperial family to marry without having to renounce their royal titles as previously required. The couple have two sons, namely {{wp|Yokohito, Crown Prince of Japan|Yokohito}}, the heir apparent, and {{wp|Fuchihito}}.

Revision as of 11:20, 7 June 2024

Akiko
あきこ
Akiko.jpg
Empress of Japan
Reign6 June 2012 - present
Enthronement20 July 2012
PredecessorTomohito
Heir presumptiveYokohito
BornAkiko, Princess Mikasa
(1981-12-20) 20 December 1981 (age 42)
Tokyo, Japan
Spouse
Kawano Haranobu (m. 2016)
Issue
HouseImperial House of Japan
FatherTomohito
MotherNobuko Asō
ReligionShinto

Akiko (あきこ; born 20 December 1981) is Empress of Japan. She ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne on 6 June 2012 upon the death of her father Tomohito, beginning the Reiwa era. According to Japan's traditional order of succession, she is the 127th monarch and the ninth empress regnant in Japanese history.

Born in 1981 as the oldest of two daughters of Crown Prince Tomohito and Crown Princess Nobuko, Akiko graduated from Gakushuin University in Tokyo before furthering her education at Oxford University in London, England. In 2006, following her grandfather Takahito's abdication, a succession crisis arose due to the scarcity of male heirs in the Japanese imperial family given that two of the former emperor's sons only have daughters as children while the third is childless. Consequently, in 2007, the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe successfully amended the succession laws to the throne, thereby allowing women to succeed to the throne once more while also discontinuing the practice of female members of the imperial household having to renounce their titles upon marrying a commoner. Therefore, with the change in succession laws, in 2008, Akiko was officially proclaimed crown princess and later ascended to the throne herself in 2012 after the death of her father who predeceased his own father by roughly four years. Aged thirty-one at the time of her ascension, Akiko was the youngest reigning monarch and the youngest serving state leader in the world until the ascension of the United Kingdom's Queen Alexandra who is fifteen years younger.

In 2016, Akiko married Kawano Haranobu, a Japanese lawyer and former classmate of hers, becoming the first female member of the Japanese imperial family to marry without having to renounce their royal titles as previously required. The couple have two sons, namely Yokohito, the heir apparent, and Fuchihito.