Japanese emperor who succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on 1 May 2019, following the abdication of his father, Akihito, at the end of 30 April 2019, beginning the Reiwa period. According to Japan’s traditional order of succession, he is the 126th member of the dynasty.
His mother was a commoner who said that she would raise her son herself and that he would go to public schools. While a youth, the Prince learned to not always yield to conformity. He was the first Japanese prince to study outside of his own country, spending two years at Oxford University. He also showed the desire to marry for love.
When he met Masako Owada, a budding scholar, diplomat and career woman at a 1986 palace reception, he reportedly knew that she was the one for him. Unfortunately, she was on her way to Oxford, from where he had just returned, and it was five years before they married, on 9 June 1993. Five years after that, they had not yet produced a child, a male heir for the Chrysanthemum Throne. Princess Aiko is their one daughter.
His younger brother, Prince Fumihito, had only daughters and a son is necessary to continue the dynasty that has run unbroken for 26 centuries.
Quiet and diminutive at 5′ 4″, he is known affectionately as Hiro. He was born four days after Prince Andrew of the UK.
Princess Masako gave birth to a daughter on 1 December 2001, with much rejoicing as they have been married for a childless eight years. She had one other pregnancy that ended in miscarriage in 1999.
Link to Wikipedia biography