Kiko
| |
|---|---|
| Crown Princess Akishino | |
.jpg) Kiko in 2016 | |
| Born | Kiko Kawashima (川嶋紀子) 11 September 1966 Shizuoka Saiseikai General Hospital, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| House | Imperial House of Japan |
| Father | Tatsuhiko Kawashima |
| Mother | Kazuyo Sugimoto |
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Kiko, Crown Princess Akishino[1] (皇嗣文仁親王妃紀子, Kōshi Fumihito Shinnō-hi Kiko) (born Kiko Kawashima (川嶋紀子, Kawashima Kiko); 11 September 1966), is the wife of Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan. Her husband is the younger brother and heir presumptive of Emperor Naruhito and the second son of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko.
Kiko earned a PhD in humanities from Ochanomizu University. Her marriage to Fumihito in 1990 furthered the trend of Japanese imperial males marrying middle class commoners of academic prominence in earlier and current generations. The couple has three children: Mako, Kako, and Hisahito. Preceding Fumihito and Kiko's investiture as Crown Prince and Princess, the ongoing Japanese imperial succession debate had resulted in some politicians holding a favorable view on rescinding agnatic primogeniture imposed by World War II allies on the constitution of Japan. However, once Kiko and Fumihito had their son Hisahito in September 2006 he became next in the line of succession following his father. Hisahito's cousin and Emperor Naruhito's only child, Princess Aiko, remains at present legally ineligible to inherit the throne, while debate about the possibility of having future empresses regnant continues.[2]
As active working members of the imperial family, Kiko and Fumihito's schedule includes attending summits, and organizational and global event meetings. The couple has particularly represented the Japanese imperial house in ceremonies involving heads of state and VIPs abroad. Kiko's imperial patronages cluster around medical, science and children's causes.
- ^ Their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino and their family - names Archived 7 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine - official website of the Imperial Household Agency
- ^ "Japan Crown Prince Fumihito formally declared 1st in line to throne". english.kyodonews.net. Kyodo News. Retrieved 22 January 2023.