TOKYO - Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, celebrated her 24th birthday on December 1st after a year marked by a series of first-time imperial events, public duties and her inaugural overseas official visit, according to the Imperial Household Agency.
This past year saw Aiko take on an unprecedented number of official engagements. Newly released photos from December 1st show her receiving a Lao language lesson in November from Yoko Kikuchi, a professor at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, as preparation for her first official visit abroad. During the practice session, she reportedly let out an involuntary smile when confronted with the difficulty of certain pronunciations.
At age 23, Aiko made her “debut” at a wide range of imperial events. She attended the New Year’s Imperial Poetry Reading Ceremony in January for the first time, composing a poem expressing her hopes of one day reuniting with her university friends as they each pursue their own aspirations.
In February, she and Kako attended their first diplomatic reception at the Shin-Nanba Duck Hunting Ground. In March, she took part in a state banquet hosted for the Brazilian president and his wife. Ahead of the event, she practiced greetings in Portuguese, and on the day she exchanged friendly conversations with the presidential couple and politicians seated nearby.
Marking the 80th year since the end of World War II, Aiko accompanied the Emperor and Empress on visits to Okinawa in June, Nagasaki in September and the Tokyo Memorial Hall in October. According to aides, she offered deep prayers at each site and expressed sincere respect for efforts to pass on the history of hardship, perseverance and the importance of peace to future generations.
In November, she undertook her first overseas duty with an official visit to Laos. Wearing traditional Lao attire, she paid a courtesy call on the president and visited various local facilities, engaging warmly with residents throughout the trip. At the state banquet, she delivered remarks expressing her wish to “serve as a bridge between the two countries” and concluded her toast in the local language.
Her year also included numerous other public engagements: the naming and launch ceremony for the Arctic research vessel Mirai II in March, the opening ceremony of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine in May, an inspection of the Osaka-Kansai Expo site also in May, the National Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction in September, and attendance at the Deaflympics in November.
In her private life, Aiko remains active, often playing volleyball, tennis and badminton with staff, and spending weekends interacting with horses and police dogs in the Imperial Palace stables. After the family’s longtime cat Mi passed away last summer, concern for their remaining cat, Seven, led the family to welcome a new rescued kitten in August. The four-month-old calico was named Mimi—written as “美海”—after a family discussion.
Aiko continues to work at the Japanese Red Cross Society in the Youth and Volunteer Division, where she helps edit publications on volunteer activities and assists with training sessions and conferences. At the National Red Cross Convention in May, she worked not as a member of the imperial family but as a regular staff member. Although she had just returned from visiting disaster-hit areas in Ishikawa for official duties, insiders say she reported to work the very next day without taking leave, demonstrating her commitment both privately and publicly.
Asked by reporters about entering her second year as a working adult, Aiko replied with a smile that she continues to find “new discoveries each day” and enjoys a “fulfilling daily life” filled with fresh experiences.
Looking ahead, she is expected to attend year-end and New Year ceremonies at the Imperial Palace, and preparations are underway for the early-February state visit of the UAE president, which will include a state banquet. Aiko is set to take part in many events over the coming year as she continues building experience as a member of the imperial household.
Source: TBS
