The Rikkoshi-no-Rei ceremonies were held at the Imperial Palace on Sunday to proclaim Crown Prince Akishino's ascension to first in line to the throne. This is the first time since the Meiji era (1868-1912) that a younger brother of an emperor -- instead of his son -- has been proclaimed first in line to the throne.
This is the first installment in a series focusing on the personality of Crown Prince Akishino, who has assumed heavy responsibilities to support the Emperor and the Imperial family in this new Reiwa era.
On April 8, a day after a state of emergency was declared for Tokyo and six other prefectures, the first such measure amid the spread of the novel coronavirus, a phone call was made to the office at the residence of Crown Prince Akishino in Tokyo's Moto-Akasaka district.
The call came from an official at the Imperial Household Agency's Board of the Chamberlains, which is in charge of serving the Emperor and his family. The official delivered a message that the Emperor wished to speak with Crown Prince Akishino over the phone.
At the time, the Rikkoshi-no-Rei ceremonies were scheduled to be held 11 days later. The Emperor and the crown prince are believed to have shared with each other -- through phone calls and other means -- their view that it would not be appropriate to hold celebrations for the Imperial family at a time when members of the public were struggling.
This view was conveyed to the Prime Minister's Office through the Imperial Household Agency. On April 9, Yoshihide Suga, who was serving as chief cabinet secretary under the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said at a press conference that the government was considering postponing the ceremonies.
Since the Meiji era, the emperor's crown prince has been his son, a relationship under which the senior figure tended to convey his wishes to his successor. In the Imperial family in the Reiwa era, in contrast, the Emperor's crown prince is his younger brother, and the two have discussions on their official duties.
In the latter half of the Heisei era (1989-2019), the now Emperor Emeritus, who thought highly of Crown Prince Akishino as an important member for the future of the Imperial family, held discussions with his two sons once a month on such issues as the current situation of the Imperial family and the challenges it faces.
In a press interview in 2010, Crown Prince Akishino said he had been discussing the future of the Imperial family with his elder brother.
"We, as brothers, have had discussions a number of times, and I hope to continue them in the future," he said.
In their younger days, the Emperor was described as being "a prudent and stable eldest son," while Crown Prince Akishino was "a playful second son." Today, their friends and close officials say the two brothers get along very well. Even after getting married, the Emperor and Crown Prince Akishino have met to talk at the Akasaka Estate, where both have their residences.
The Emperor and Crown Prince Akishino have also cooperated in their studies, even though their specialized fields differ. The Emperor is a scholar of history, while Crown Prince Akishino studies biology.
Ten years ago, Crown Prince Akishino, who studies the domestication of animals, invited the Emperor to a meeting of a study group over which the prince presided, asking the Emperor to make a presentation as an expert on the history of oxcarts used by the Japanese aristocracy.
-- Utilizes own expertise
Crown Prince Akishino has many interactions in his personal style, drawing on his foresight and knowledge in the field of biology.
In 1999, Crown Prince Akishino, who is often described as "a prince of catfish," attended a study meeting on fish in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, with other researchers. This meeting led to the discovery that the itoyo three-spined stickleback that lives in local rivers is a rare species. The fish was eventually designated as a natural treasure by the town government in 2007.
Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko visited Otsuchi in May 2011, two months after the town was devastated by the tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake. After shaking hands with local residents who had evacuated at a gymnasium, the couple visited the habitat of the itoyo to observe the scattering of debris.
However, local residents told the couple that the itoyo seemed to be fine. "Thanks to the support of [Crown] Prince Akishino, the fish has become a symbol of our town's recovery," said Ken Sasaki, 63, a former official at the Otsuchi government.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, Crown Prince Akishino has been a pioneering member of the Imperial family in performing official duties via the internet. He has had about 50 online sessions to listen to experts in various fields, such as medicine, economy and culture.
On Oct. 29, Crown Prince Akishino made online "visits" to a special-needs school and another place in Fukui Prefecture, five months after his scheduled visits were canceled due to the outbreak. The crown prince watched students using a kiln and had friendly chats with them.
Crown Prince Akishino has expanded the scope of official duties by the Imperial family, while the Emperor has not started performing them online in consideration of his grave position, under which face-to-face meetings are supposed to be emphasized.
During a press interview in November last year to mark his 54th birthday, Crown Prince Akishino was asked for his thoughts on his ascension to first in line to the throne. His comments indicated the confidence he has developed over more than 30 years of performing official duties as a member of the Imperial family, since reaching the age of majority.
"I myself have remained what I am," the crown prince said. "That will not change as a result of things like a change in the times."
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