Naruhito

This article is about the Emperor of Japan. For other people with this name, see Naruhito (given name).

Naruhito
  • 徳仁
Wearing white tie and tails with sash and medals
Official portrait, 2019
Emperor of Japan
Reign1 May 2019 – present
Enthronement22 October 2019
PredecessorAkihito
Heir presumptiveFumihito
BornNaruhito, Prince Hiro
(浩宮徳仁親王)
(1960-02-23) 23 February 1960 (age 64)
Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo, Japan
Spouse
​
(m. 1993)​
IssueAiko, Princess Toshi
Era name and dates
Reiwa: 1 May 2019 – present
HouseImperial House of Japan
FatherAkihito
MotherMichiko Shōda
ReligionShinto
Signature

Naruhito[a] (born 23 February 1960) is Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne following his father's abdication on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era.[1] He is the 126th monarch according to Japan's traditional order of succession.

Naruhito is the elder son of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko. He was born during the reign of his paternal grandfather, Hirohito (Emperor Shōwa), and became heir apparent following his father's accession in 1989. He was formally invested as Crown Prince of Japan in 1991. He attended Gakushūin schools in Tokyo and later studied history at Gakushuin University and English at Merton College, Oxford. In June 1993, he married diplomat Owada Masako. They have one daughter: Aiko.

Continuing his grandfather's and father's boycott over the enshrinement of convicted war criminals, Naruhito has never visited Yasukuni Shrine.[2] He is interested in water policy and water conservation and likes to play the viola. He was an honorary president of the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics and is a supporter of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.[3]


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  1. ^ "Japan's new Emperor Naruhito pledges unity". BBC News. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Explainer: Why Yasukuni shrine is a controversial symbol of Japan's war legacy". Reuters. 14 August 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference IHA-Activities was invoked but never defined (see the help page).