Engagement & Marriage of Princess Mako and Kei Komuro: September 2017 - 2021

[Denville]

Regarding the "dowry" the princesses receive I remember reading when Princess Sayako married Yoshiki Koruda in 2005 that although she received as much as $1,2m that wasn't enough to buy even a smaller flat in an up-market Tokyo neighbourhood. If true it's not as if Princess Mako and Kei Komuro will get a sum that they can live carefree on for the rest of their lives.

But the point is, if the money is tax payers money, they, the public, have a right to say where it goes. And if Kei is disapproved of, it seems wrong that he gets it. But if they can cut it down to a relatively small amount, it might be best. Or better still not give Tax payers money but money from the IF itself..

 

[yukari]

Just want to add some perspective for western member about Junjun's concern above.

Okay, this may sound strange in western point a view, but here's a bit perspective about parents-children relationship. Here, in Japanese forum, several posters had mentioned about filial piety. While filial piety appears to underscore the child's obligations of love and obedience to his or her parents, it actually implies as well the parent's obligations to love and educate the child, and this obligation don't stop when they're adult. It's not uncommon for parents to pay for their child's university tution or still sending them money even after they graduate if they're still struggle in their post-uni life/new job (and it doesn't mean a debt to be paid back in the future), or in some case this can still continue even when the children are married and have children themselves. The competition to get a good job is very fierce while living and having children in city is expensive (when a wife give up her job to be a housewife sometimes it's mostly because it's more economical that way especially if her salary is lower than the husband), while the parents live a simple life in the countryside and they have no problem to "support" their married child by give them portion of their pension. Want to hear stranger case to understand parents-children dynamic? There's something called "hikikomori" and "8050 problem", it's phenomenon in which middle-aged Japanese, usually unemployed and socially withdrawn, live under the same roof as their elderly parents, completely supported by the elderly parents living by their pension money.

Would Mako's parents just watch them from afar as they in an LDK and tell her "you made your bed, now lie in it"? I don't think so. And Kei sort of has been "taught" by his mother that you can get money from your significant other (what is mine is yours, and vice versa). So who's to know if at one point Kei would "hint" to Mako about their financial issue and as a good wife she'd want to "help", maybe confide to her parents, and then as a good parents the CP couple would "lend" a hand? What if there's a possibility that it could happen frequently?

And that's only about financial side and Mako's relationship with her parents, putting aside the other stories surrounding him.

I don't like this guy and let me say that I'm biased because I personally know someone who married someone like Kei; changing major 3 times because he didn't think it was his "passion" (amongst other questionable stuff, one if it was cheat on her when they're still dating) and ends up as フリーター (freeter) after changing job several times because he didn't like it (or so he said). Now three years into their marriage (she's working as temporary teacher), most of their household bill is still paid by her retired father.

I do wonder, is it really love? Or is it just a means for Mako to leave the restrictive Palace life? Or maybe Kei has something that make Mako can't leave him?

 

[Denville]

If Mako's family want to support her financially that's one thing, and its up to them. If it si part of Japanese culture that they might feel an oblgaiton to do that, that's fine. But for her to get a slice of tax payers money, if her husband is a bit dubious, is quite another matter.

 

[JR76]

But the point is, if the money is tax payers money, they, the public, have a right to say where it goes. And if Kei is disapproved of, it seems wrong that he gets it. But if they can cut it down to a relatively small amount, it might be best. Or better still not give Tax payers money but money from the IF itself..

I don't disagree with your point. The taxpayers are all within their right to have a say in how their money is spent.

 

[Junjun]

Thank you Yukari for adding the backgrounds.
Don’t suppose as if “back door admission” is done everywhere inJapan. Overwhelming of the students enters univ. through fair way...

But I agree that Komuro is rather smaller villain compared with Sha Durek...What do you call such a guy? In Japan, we call “Himo” which means some honey man?

 

[MaryVirginia]

Wow too many post to reply each…but I am thankful to you for being interested in this.　And your Japanese messages made me so happy.

Almost all you pointed out is true, here, I would add something about Japanese IF’s finance. I hope you understand from this why Japanese people are so mad at Komuro and Mako.


First, there are “IF expenses” which is like their wage paid by government.

https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/kunaicho/kunaicho/pdf/kouzokuhi.pdf

According to the page above, Crown Prince Akishino receives 91,500,000 JPY (840,525.26 USD) as his IF expense, when 15,250,000 JPY(140,087.54 USD)is paid to Crown Princess Kiko, 9,150,000 JPY (84,052.53 USD) to each of Mako and Kako, and 3,050,000 JPY (28,017.51 USD)to Hisahito.
Costume fee for attending public duties is another category.


On the other hand, princesses who leave IF for marriage or other reasons, they can receive lump-sum money. The amount of the lump-sum is regulated according to their status, and as for Mako, maximum amount is 152,500,000 JPY (1,400,875.4 USD), which is 10 times of annual IF expense for which an independent female monarchy head would be paid.


And you have opinions that Mako is free to marry anyone she love because she will leave IF and have no succession line. I don’t deny that, but actually, a change is planned, which seems to intend to retain Mako within IF even after her marriage.


A government advisory panel is held intermittently this year to discuss how the imperial throne should be succeeded, including the possibility of female emperors and emperors of female lineage, as well as foundation of female monarchy and Kojo title. It is rumored that “female monarchy” and “Kojo title” are both planned for Mako to retain her within IF.




If Mako becomes a female monarchy chief, 15,250,000 JPY(140,087.54 USD) a year will be paid to her, when if it is Kojo, 6,000,000 JPY (55,116.41 USD).


This can be said a quite wealthy life in Japan.


Then, the following points might not be reported by Japanese newspapers,
Kei Komuro has enjoyed large amount of privilege as a semi-fiance of a princess until now.

It was all unnatural that he got his jobs at a big bank and a law firm, and he went to study law in America though he has no lawer experience nor certification. He received scholarship for the most excellent student, which is not supposed to be paid with his achievement. Many people think all these are through Akishino family.


His paper got a prize in NY State Bar Association and appeared in its journal, but is the work really worth?
He receives his living cost in NY from his law office but what is the financial source? The president of the firm is said to be close to Akishino.



For your information, Akishino family has been famous for “backdoor admission”.

His two daughters entered International Cristian Univ. which is known for English program, and which is not supposed to be entered by them with their English ability. And his son entered Ochanomizu Elementary School and Junior High School, so is it with his ability.

Hmm I get fed up with writing this for I feel as if I envy them, but these are all true.


To get back to Komuro affair, many people here suspect that a large amount of money has been paid by Akishino, Kiko or Mako upon him. As I mentioned before, it is violation of IF Economy Act.

Even if the idea of female monarchy and Kojo title are washed out by opposition of the public, Mako and Komuro might not be able to play a lone hand after their marriage, so a huge amount of taxmoney will be transferred from Akishino family to them eternally in the future.


For these reasons, Japanese people who are suffering from COVID-19 and the economic problems caused by the decease are mad at Komuro, it’s beyond the simple debt and ethical problems.


and with all help of you, I almost understand the marriage problems of royal members overseas, but I feel the controversial spouses are enough rich and they’re not said "waste of tax". In comparison, Komuro earns no money and has been depending on someone financially all the time. If he were poor but honest, hard-working and financially independent guy (and with no loan trouble, no bullying allegation and many other scandals...), no one would have criticized him…


Can you understand? I'm sorry that I'm not a good English writer, I wonder if it is annoying to read this...

On the contrary, your post is not annoying at all You have helped me to better understand this controversy and the viewpoint of many in Japan. This is exactly why I come to this forum. I thank you and the other posters from Japan

 

[Prinsara]

Thank you Yukari for adding the backgrounds.
Don’t misunderstand as if “back door admission” is done everywhere inJapan. Overwhelming of the public enters univ. through fair way...

But I agree that Komuro is rather smaller villain compared with Sha Durek...What do you call such a guy? In Japan, we call “Himo” which means some honey man?

My dictionary seems to say "a man who hustles women to be financially dependent on one or more of them"? It comes from "string, or cord"? Wrapped around a woman, I'm guessing?

I think there are a few terms, but the most neutral one is probably still "gold-digger" or fortune hunter, if money is the chief objective in the relationship. Which can apply to everybody, not just men.

There is also "scam artist" if lies start getting involved.

It seems as though Komuro could be neither, or he could be both... and no one is sure which right now. Yes, that's pretty concerning. Hopefully, he sincerely loves Mako and she's not just his "meal ticket" or "free ride" (a couple more ), because the other issues, questions, and concerns are going to be there, whether he does or he doesn't.

 

[W.Y.CII]

The "back door admission" stuff of Akishino is new to me. Maybe the marriage affair is blowing up not only because of the discredibility of Kei but also the distrust towards Akishino family (of course with the fuel of pandemic's frustration). The whole thing is just more complicated as it involved the potential change of succession right. If the change (whether it's succession right for female descendants, or only male descendants via female line) is actually made I think it would be more impossible for the couple to marry.


BTW dear Japaneses posters, would you mind to share how you, and the general public, view on the IF and individual members? The related English articles I find on the Internet are always sugar coated and I would love to read some first hand local opinion (maybe you have to post it in the corresponding board/thread as it probably is off-topic in this thread).

 

[Happiness Always]

Wow too many post to reply each…but I am thankful to you for being interested in this.　And your Japanese messages made me so happy.

For your information, Akishino family has been famous for “backdoor admission”.

His two daughters entered International Cristian Univ. which is known for English program, and which is not supposed to be entered by them with their English ability. And his son entered Ochanomizu Elementary School and Junior High School, so is it with his ability.

I was unaware of this. (Probably because I don't read Japanese ...)



With a mother and an aunt who are fluent English speakers, I wasn't surprised to find out Princess Mako and Princess Kako went to ICU. (I'm imagining that when the girls were young, mother and auntie spoke to them in English as they had tea? ? ) Didn't one or both of them go on to study in Oxford or some other school in England?

 

[Junjun]

My dictionary seems to say "a man who hustles women to be financially dependent on one or more of them"? It comes from "string, or cord"? Wrapped around a woman, I'm guessing?

I think there are a few terms, but the most neutral one is probably still "gold-digger" or fortune hunter, if money is the chief objective in the relationship. Which can apply to everybody, not just men.

There is also "scam artist" if lies start getting involved.

It seems as though Komuro could be neither, or he could be both... and no one is sure which right now. Yes, that's pretty concerning. Hopefully, he sincerely loves Mako and she's not just his "meal ticket" or "free ride" (a couple more ), because the other issues, questions, and concerns are going to be there, whether he does or he doesn't.

Oh is that true? “Himo” simply means a man who is financially dependent on one or more women.

“Scam artist”, well, it open happens that somebody calls him so on message boards.
Also, Mako is called as “his ATM”, automatic telling machine...

Ah, I remember another report in which Komuro was witnessed to have seduced another daughter of wealthy family and asked her to use her credit card before he fell in love with Mako.

The "back door admission" stuff of Akishino is new to me. Maybe the marriage affair is blowing up not only because of the discredibility of Kei but also the distrust towards Akishino family (of course with the fuel of pandemic's frustration). The whole thing is just more complicated as it involved the potential change of succession right. If the change (whether it's succession right for female descendants, or only male descendants via female line) is actually made I think it would be more impossible for the couple to marry.


BTW dear Japaneses posters, would you mind to share how you, and the general public, view on the IF and individual members? The related English articles I find on the Internet are always sugar coated and I would love to read some first hand local opinion (maybe you have to post it in the corresponding board/thread as it probably is off-topic in this thread).

Yes, I’d personally been indifferent of IF for a long time, and when so-called Makomuro affair occurred, a lot of suspicious stuff was seen around Akishino family, as well as around Empress Emeritus Michiko. It seems so are many people in Japan...

Regarding the discussion on change of succession right, I wrote about it on “ Influence of Women on The Imperial Succession” board, so please visit and take a glance if you’re interested in it.

Okay I’m glad to share my view on IF and individual member later...Maybe some part of it surprises you.

BTW dear Japaneses posters, would you mind to share how you, and the general public, view on the IF and individual members? The related English articles I find on the Internet are always sugar coated and I would love to read some first hand local opinion (maybe you have to post it in the corresponding board/thread as it probably is off-topic in this thread).

Well, I wish I can do the best but this is quite a big homework…
And please understand that what I write here does not represent the opinion of all Japanese posters..

The volume will be annoying if I post whole story,
And to begin with, I share this article about Crown Prince Akishino and his family by Gendai, one of relatively reliable source in Japan:

"Career Bureaucrats are Escaping from Akishino Family: Everything Started From 'Throwing Umbrella Incident'"

https://gendai.ismedia.jp/articles/-/75714

The story above mainly describes the power harassment made within Akishino family which has been reported in magazines for several times these years. According to these reports, the main harasser is Crown Princess Kiko usually by directing people persistently, intimidating people with sarcasm and calling people using nickname such as vegetables name, but “throwing umbrella incident” made by Akishino was reported in the article above.

(And Akishino and Kiko’s attitude toward Mako’s marriage problem is also referred to in this article in the page 5 and 6, maybe it's true.)

The original image I had of IF was, “modest, clean and elegant”. They give boring speech at ceremonies, but consistently intend peace after WWII. They are rich but not arrogant.
But, Akishino and his family shattered the image. They are arrogant, cheating and mean about money.
Every time something about IF is reported, the boards are full of posts that say: "Whole Akishino family is to be expelled from IF!" these days.

So I hope you to be accustomed to the new image of Akishino family through which Japanese posters share here though these will never appear in newspapers.

 

[Prinsara]

Surely they can't expel the whole family... they need Hisahito, unless they change succession laws really quickly.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

So...Crown Princess Kiko has been accused of being abusive to staff? Like Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg?

Perhaps Kiko believes that her position as the mother of young Hisahito, the precious and desired male heir, makes her untouchable.

 

[Junjun]

With a mother and an aunt who are fluent English speakers, I wasn't surprised to find out Princess Mako and Princess Kako went to ICU. (I'm imagining that when the girls were young, mother and auntie spoke to them in English as they had tea? ? ) Didn't one or both of them go on to study in Oxford or some other school in England?

Thank you for your reply, Happiness Always
Well, I searched the movies of Mako or Kako's English speech and found this:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...71CEA4D42DB74132286C71C&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

It's not bad, indeed, better than that of average Japanese, but as a graduate of ICU...orz it sounds like a speech of a high school or junior high school student, doesn't it? But I myself can't say anything about others' English ability either...

And yes, both Mako and Kako have ever gone to study in Univ. in England,but I've never heard that they had nice conversation with VIPs overseas.

 

[W.Y.CII]

In Chinese we have a phrase 母以子貴/母憑子貴, a woman's status raises because of her son's position, in media it sometimes will be used to describe a woman is more superior simply for having a son but not a daughter. If the harassment is true that's probably what Kiko is thinking.

Surely they can't expel the whole family... they need Hisahito, unless they change succession laws really quickly.

Maybe that's one of the reasons the majority supports the change (which may let Aiko become heir but not Fumihito/Hisahito).

 

[kathia_sophia]

Yes, I’d personally been indifferent of IF for a long time, and when so-called Makomuro affair occurred, a lot of suspicious stuff was seen around Akishino family, as well as around Empress Emeritus Michiko. It seems so are many people in Japan...

Regarding the discussion on change of succession right, I wrote about it on “ Influence of Women on The Imperial Succession” board, so please visit and take a glance if you’re interested in it.

Okay I’m glad to share my view on IF and individual member later...Maybe some part of it surprises you.

This discussion is very interesting. But I can't find that board...

 

[fabaunty]

Hello Junjun , thankyou so much for your postings . The discussion on the board you mentioned is very informative .
Kathia Sophia if you type Japanese Imperial Succession into the search box , then scroll down you will find the board . I had never seen it before ,& it started in 2007.

 

[Junjun]

Sorry Kathia Sophia, and thank you fabaunty, the board is located at :
The Royal Forum > Reigning Houses > Imperial Family of Japan > Japanese Royal History > Influence of Women on The Imperial Succession

 

[MichaelB]

While I am very interested in hearing what Japanese citizens have to say on the matter I cannot help but feeling that Japanese media have a habit of depicting their royals during the last decades in a very „black and white“ sort of way - to the point of being really unfair to them. (I´ll explain that further below.)
To give an example:

His [Komuros] paper got a prize in NY State Bar Association and appeared in its journal, but is the work really worth?

I honestly don´t know anything about the NY State Bar Association (if anybody here does, I´d be interested in their input), but I seriously doubt that they would give anyone a prize who does not deserve it just because Prince Akishino wants them to.
I do not know who or what Komuro is. But it gives me pause that your dislike of him obviously goes so far that you do not seem to be willing to give him credit even for the things he does do right, according to a credible source like the NY State Bar Association. (Again, if anyone knows anything about them being generally shady or generally beholden to Japanese royalty, please feel free to correct me.) Komuro probably has his issues but I have a hard time trusting in your take on him because I do not see any of you giving him at any point the benefit of the doubt.

Kikunohana, you have basically accused Prisma of handpicking articles from a one-sided perspective. I have read many of Prisma´s postings and, to be quite frank, I do not agree with you at all. I appreciate Prisma´s contributions to this forum very much. Of course, she is not a native speaker and has to work with what she has, but I always find her perspective on things very balanced and nuanced. Prisma seems always eager to learn new things and to correct herself which makes me trust her. While I appreciate the detailed information you give, I cannot help but remark that your way of presenting it feels very biased to me. Just one small example. First you say:

In the 28-page document he released to the media, Komuro claimed he had a 2012 audio recording of the ex-fiancé saying he did not intend to ask for the money back from the mother and son. However, Komuro has not released the recording nor provided a transcript

You obviously criticize Komuro here for not releasing the full recording and thereby allegedly leaving the public in the dark. OK. That is one way of interpreting things.
Another one would be that Komuro did that because, while trying for a long time to resolve the matter without involving the public, he felt that at some point he had to make it clear to the ex-fiancé that if he [the ex-fiancé] chose to mislead the public any further he would run the risk of Komuro making the recording public and in this way proving him wrong. But even at that point Komuro chose to share but a small snippet of the information because he still wanted to protect the privacy of the ex-fiancé as much as possible.
Then you say:

[The ex-fiancé] said he was shocked to learn that Kei Komuro claimed to have secretly recorded him in September 2012 when he called off the engagement to his mother over her increasing financial demands.

So, first you criticize Komuro for not making the full recording public (which would have even further infringed on the ex-fiancé´s privacy], then you criticize him for having made the recording in the first place. You want to have it both ways here. Which one is it? You do not seem to care as long as it makes Komuro look bad while you - at no point – call into question what the others say who are criticizing him. They may all be peaceloving angels who always speak the truth – but we have no means of being sure of that.
Had it been just you, Kikunohana, I would have thought, you just happen to not like that Komuro guy, for whatever reason (which is, of course, fine – none of us knows him personally, so we are all free to guess).
But it seems that what you say sums up the opinion of many Japanese people. Which may or may not tell us something about how things actually are but certainly does give us some information on how the Japanese media present things. I find that really interesting, and I am grateful for this insight. So thank you all very much.

I am reminded of the time when then Crown Princess Masako was slandered for having a fancy dinner in a Mexican restaurant while skipping official duties because of her depression. (I do not remember which magazine that story was from but I remember it quite clearly.) Some time later it was known that the parents of Aiko´s classmates had been meeting at that restaurant and that then Crown Princess Masako had been there on behalf of and in support of her daughter who was struggling in school. The magazine had not included that information and had made it look as if the princess was not actually ill but just being lazy and living a luxurious life on taxpayer´s money... Everybody and their grandmother thought at the time that then Crown Prince Naruhito was stupid for not divorcing that lazy arrogant woman who could not bear him a son. Now everybody thinks Mako is stupid. Were they right then? Are they right now? Who knows....

At the same time when Crown Princess Masako was constantly criticized, Empress Michiko could do no wrong. But some fifteen years before it had been she who was harrassed by the press for allegedly bullying her staff (just as Crown Princess Kiko is now, obviously).

I think I see a pattern here. I am relieved to hear that at this point Empress Masako seems to no longer be criticized for everything she does or does not do as was the case for over a decade. But I am not happy that the media seems to have gotten hold of another poor victim instead.

I get the strong impression that the Japanese media always need some sort of scapegoat when it comes to the imperial family. At present, it´s Komuro and Mako and by extension the whole Akishino family. I admit to having a very soft spot for Mako but aside from that, I do not claim any of them to be angels. They certainly do have their shortcomings. In my book, that is ok. They are human. But it seems to me that Japanese media have a tendency to see members of the IF as either very bad or very good and cannot allow them to be grey.
(Admittedly, it´s not only the Japanese media who do that. Painting people as angels or criminals makes for good headlines all over the world.)

 

[Junjun]

So...Crown Princess Kiko has been accused of being abusive to staff? Like Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg?

Perhaps Kiko believes that her position as the mother of young Hisahito, the precious and desired male heir, makes her untouchable.

I searched Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg for the first time.
There’s someone died of suicide, yes, at least 3 guards working for Akishino family committed suicide since the beginning of this century too...Isn’t there anyone investigate them?

And what Moonmaiden23 and W.Y.CII said may be true. The appearance of her face looks more and more harsh since she bore Hisahito. She seems too much proud of having a son.

She is escalating now, this March, NHK evening news show was suddenly hijacked for several minutes by her, airing her speech on tuberculosis control campaign.
I was absolutely amazed at it, “Huh? Why now ‘tuberculosis control’ when people are so suffering from COVID-19? Is it necessary?” She is honorary president of tuberculosis association or some. Isn’t she like some Manga character?

The movie of the speech is here. The commentaries of audiences below are interesting:

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Kikunohana, you have basically accused Prisma of handpicking articles from a one-sided perspective. I have read many of Prisma´s postings and, to be quite frank, I do not agree with you at all. I appreciate Prisma´s contributions to this forum very much. Of course, she is not a native speaker and has to work with what she has, but I always find her perspective on things very balanced and nuanced. Prisma seems always eager to learn new things and to correct herself which makes me trust her.

Thank you very much for speaking up. I have refrained from posting in this thread recently, partly because I am not yet caught up, but partly because I have been cogitating over how to respond to certain comments which, as you mention, were unfairly directed at Prisma even though they ought to have have been directed at myself and the other readers of this forum and at Westerners in general and the Japanese mainstream media, if at all. It is disappointing that many readers who have replied after that point, and who have benefited from Prisma's translations and explanations which helped us to comprehend Kei Komuro's critics' point of view, let those comments stand unaddressed.

On another note, a belated welcome to the forum to both Junjun and Savannahs. I've found both of your posts interesting and thought-provoking, and thank you to Junjun for your contributions of new articles as well. You may by the way be interested in this thread where discussion on possible reform of the succession and/or house membership rules usually takes place: Succession and Membership Issues

 

[Junjun]

While I am very interested in hearing what Japanese citizens have to say on the matter I cannot help but feeling that Japanese media have a habit of depicting their royals during the last decades in a very „black and white“ sort of way - to the point of being really unfair to them. (I´ll explain that further below.)
To give an example:

I honestly don´t know anything about the NY State Bar Association (if anybody here does, I´d be interested in their input), but I seriously doubt that they would give anyone a prize who does not deserve it just because Prince Akishino wants them to.
I do not know who or what Komuro is. But it gives me pause that your dislike of him obviously goes so far that you do not seem to be willing to give him credit even for the things he does do right, according to a credible source like the NY State Bar Association. (Again, if anyone knows anything about them being generally shady or generally beholden to Japanese royalty, please feel free to correct me.) Komuro probably has his issues but I have a hard time trusting in your take on him because I do not see any of you giving him at any point the benefit of the doubt.

Kikunohana, you have basically accused Prisma of handpicking articles from a one-sided perspective. I have read many of Prisma´s postings and, to be quite frank, I do not agree with you at all. I appreciate Prisma´s contributions to this forum very much. Of course, she is not a native speaker and has to work with what she has, but I always find her perspective on things very balanced and nuanced. Prisma seems always eager to learn new things and to correct herself which makes me trust her. While I appreciate the detailed information you give, I cannot help but remark that your way of presenting it feels very biased to me. Just one small example. First you say:

You obviously criticize Komuro here for not releasing the full recording and thereby allegedly leaving the public in the dark. OK. That is one way of interpreting things.
Another one would be that Komuro did that because, while trying for a long time to resolve the matter without involving the public, he felt that at some point he had to make it clear to the ex-fiancé that if he [the ex-fiancé] chose to mislead the public any further he would run the risk of Komuro making the recording public and in this way proving him wrong. But even at that point Komuro chose to share but a small snippet of the information because he still wanted to protect the privacy of the ex-fiancé as much as possible.
Then you say:

So, first you criticize Komuro for not making the full recording public (which would have even further infringed on the ex-fiancé´s privacy], then you criticize him for having made the recording in the first place. You want to have it both ways here. Which one is it? You do not seem to care as long as it makes Komuro look bad while you - at no point – call into question what the others say who are criticizing him. They may all be peaceloving angels who always speak the truth – but we have no means of being sure of that.
Had it been just you, Kikunohana, I would have thought, you just happen to not like that Komuro guy, for whatever reason (which is, of course, fine – none of us knows him personally, so we are all free to guess).
But it seems that what you say sums up the opinion of many Japanese people. Which may or may not tell us something about how things actually are but certainly does give us some information on how the Japanese media present things. I find that really interesting, and I am grateful for this insight. So thank you all very much.

I am reminded of the time when then Crown Princess Masako was slandered for having a fancy dinner in a Mexican restaurant while skipping official duties because of her depression. (I do not remember which magazine that story was from but I remember it quite clearly.) Some time later it was known that the parents of Aiko´s classmates had been meeting at that restaurant and that then Crown Princess Masako had been there on behalf of and in support of her daughter who was struggling in school. The magazine had not included that information and had made it look as if the princess was not actually ill but just being lazy and living a luxurious life on taxpayer´s money... Everybody and their grandmother thought at the time that then Crown Prince Naruhito was stupid for not divorcing that lazy arrogant woman who could not bear him a son. Now everybody thinks Mako is stupid. Were they right then? Are they right now? Who knows....

At the same time when Crown Princess Masako was constantly criticized, Empress Michiko could do no wrong. But some fifteen years before it had been she who was harrassed by the press for allegedly bullying her staff (just as Crown Princess Kiko is now, obviously).

I think I see a pattern here. I am relieved to hear that at this point Empress Masako seems to no longer be criticized for everything she does or does not do as was the case for over a decade. But I am not happy that the media seems to have gotten hold of another poor victim instead.

I get the strong impression that the Japanese media always need some sort of scapegoat when it comes to the imperial family. At present, it´s Komuro and Mako and by extension the whole Akishino family. I admit to having a very soft spot for Mako but aside from that, I do not claim any of them to be angels. They certainly do have their shortcomings. In my book, that is ok. They are human. But it seems to me that Japanese media have a tendency to see members of the IF as either very bad or very good and cannot allow them to be grey.
(Admittedly, it´s not only the Japanese media who do that. Painting people as angels or criminals makes for good headlines all over the world.)

I do not agree that Japanese media are one-sided.

I’ve already explained here there is excessive “consideration 忖度” especially for Empress Emeritus Michiko and Akishino family. There are always stories that praise Komuro, Akishino family and Michiko even now. Nevertheless, many Japanese people do not trust them, and their commentary boards are always full of criticism.

Yes, I myself dislike Komuro, and it is honest feeling of major part of Japanese people, as proved by polls. The problem is that it had never been reflected here for a long time for newspapers don’t give full information.

But, I admit that I’ ve never appreciated the contribution made by Prisma. I was obsessed to fill the gap of misunderstanding and didn’t imagine how it was laboring Prisma did.
Thank you and sorry, Prisma.

I honestly don´t know anything about the NY State Bar Association

[…]

I get the strong impression that the Japanese media always need some sort of scapegoat when it comes to the imperial family. At present, it´s Komuro and Mako and by extension the whole Akishino family. I admit to having a very soft spot for Mako but aside from that, I do not claim any of them to be angels. They certainly do have their shortcomings. In my book, that is ok. They are human. But it seems to me that Japanese media have a tendency to see members of the IF as either very bad or very good and cannot allow them to be grey.
(Admittedly, it´s not only the Japanese media who do that. Painting people as angels or criminals makes for good headlines all over the world.)

If you search “Kei Komuro Ny State Bar Association” you’ll find it. Can you tell me how do you feel reading it?

You are free to have your impression, but it’s just an impression.

I’ll keep writing about Akishino family using first-hand evidences and articles based on them as far as possible. Those articles are written by courage authors under current circumstances in Japan. You know, those that praise them are more easily available. You want to stop me?

And, sorry for my impoliteness, but your post sounds like biased.

 

[Somebody]

If you search “Kei Komuro Ny State Bar Association” you’ll find it. Can you tell me how do you feel reading it?

You are free to have your impression, but it’s just an impression.

I’ll keep writing about Akishino family using first-hand evidences and articles based on them as far as possible. Those articles are written by courage authors under current circumstances in Japan. You know, those that praise them are more easily available. You want to stop me?

And, sorry for my impoliteness, but your post sounds like biased.

Most of the articles in the issue in which his and the other prize winner's pieces were published aren't open access, so, please share a direct link if you've found it elsewhere.

If you truly think that the editor and committee members only awarded him 'second prize' because of his position, I'd like you to be a bit more specific, as it is quite an accusation to state that they were dishonest in awarding him second place in this writing competition. Did you also feel the first and third price were undeserved; if not, what makes their contributions so much better/different?

You even might want to write the editor if you are truly concerned, so he has a chance to defend himself against your insinuations.

 

[Junjun]

Most of the articles in the issue in which his and the other prize winner's pieces were published aren't open access, so, please share a direct link if you've found it elsewhere.

If you truly think that the editor and committee members only awarded him 'second prize' because of his position, I'd like you to be a bit more specific, as it is quite an accusation to state that they were dishonest in awarding him second place in this writing competition. Did you also feel the first and third price were undeserved; if not, what makes their contributions so much better/different?

You even might want to write the editor if you are truly concerned, so he has a chance to defend himself against your insinuations.

Okay, I apologize for having you to feel as if you’re accused of. Was I so scary?
And maybe I made mistake in writing that, I read the content of the paper in Japanese article and felt it just ordinary. (The article praised the paper, of course.) I wrote long post touching upon a lot of things and at that very site, confirmation whether you can directly access it was insufficient. But it is just an excuse.

However, I do not think I have to go so far to ask something to the state when I criticize something. Does everyone do so here? Isn’t it a kind of constraint of freedom of expression? I just said it was unnatural.

Kei Komuro made an interview to someone representing Fordham Univ. and the univ. released the recording last summer. The recording can be heard here:

https://news.law.fordham.edu/startu...ectrum-from-seed-financing-to-private-equity/

It is also unnatural since Komuro is not one of their most excellent students. So many mysterious events occurred.

And you say I should ask Fordham Univ. too? And you say I’m not specific enough?

I did my best to fill the gap of understanding. What I wrote here is all that many Japanese people believe.

Sorry again for my impoliteness.

 

[Somebody]

Okay, I apologize for having you to feel as if you’re accused of. Was I so scary?

You are not accusing me but you are accusing a professional organization that publishes a peer-reviewed journal. So, your insinuation that because you didn't like a specific paper written by someone whom you already vehemently dislike, must mean that he received preferential treatment, is very serious and not something I take lightly.

And maybe I made mistake in writing that, I read the content of the paper in Japanese article and felt it just ordinary. (The article praised the paper, of course.) I wrote long post touching upon a lot of things and at that very site, confirmation whether you can directly access it was insufficient. But it is just an excuse.

What do you mean by 'but it is just an excuse'? By whom?

As you stated the paper was 'just ordinary' and pose questions about 'is it worth it?' implying it is not and even tell all of us to read if for ourselves, it would have been helpful if we truly are able to. I tried to make the effort and unfortunately wasn't able to. And now it is clear that you never read the original paper yourself. So, for now, I'll have to conclude that your insinuations are unfounded.

However, I do not think I have to go so far to ask something to the state when I criticize something. Is everyone do so here? Isn’t it a kind of constraint of freedom of expression? I just said it was unnatural.

TRF asks people to back things up as much as possible, so, as you specifically told us to go and look for ourselves.

Nobody asks you to 'ask something to the state'... So, I am not fully sure what you mean but that could be due to language issues. Are you talking about my suggestion that you should write to the editor if you are concerned about this issue?

Of course, that isn't obligatory; but TRF does require 'evidence', so if you don't have evidence, this might be a way to gather evidence; and if you are truly concerned about it, I am sure they would appreciate it if you raise the alarm. If there is no reason for concern, I would recommend you to explicitly state so.

Kei Komuro represented Fordham Univ. making interview and the univ. released the recording last summer. The recording can be heard here:

https://news.law.fordham.edu/startu...ectrum-from-seed-financing-to-private-equity/

It is also unnatural since Komuro is not one of their most excellent students. So many mysterious events occurred.

This was an open competition, so he did represent Fordham in the sense that the competition was only open for those attending law school; but not in that they picked him and didn't allow any other student to participate as well. So, good for him, that he and many other law school students participated in this writing competition! So, there is no reason to contact Fordham as they didn't organize the competition.

It isn't weird to acknowledge that one of your students wins second place in a national competition that would be something almost any law school/university would do.

I did my best to fill the gap of understanding. What I wrote here is all that many Japanese people believe.

Sorry again for my impoliteness.

While I am sure many other Japanese people might share your opinions - and it is always interesting to hear different opinions, your opinions not necessarily represent 'the Japanese people', so probably best to share your personal thoughts instead of claiming time and time again that what you say is what they think. The fact that you are Japanese yourself carries sufficient weight

 

[Junjun]

I write here for a kind of sense of duty, if not, I’m not motivated to do so. I write here since there seems to be gap of understanding. Western people are majority here, and they have their own yardsticks to measure everything. So when I first came to this forum, I was also a little shocked as kikunohana felt.
And then, though feeling a little isolated at first, I started writing. It was the first posting for me to a forum abroad. Thankfully, not small number of people accepted me.

Maybe there are people who don’t like to update their understanding due to what Japanese people posted as I understand. Everyone live their understandable life...

 

[kathia_sophia]

Thank you @fabaunty and @Junjun, the succession in Japan is very interesting topic, though I agree with others that it is more likely to see a female monarch in Thailand than Japan, at least for now.


I wonder if Mako is super in love with Kei since she didn't leave him after all those scandals emerged. If she is very much in love with him, why not marry him already? What is she waiting for? She will lose her princess title right after marriage, so marrying now or later won't change that fact. Is she too worried about the IF or what the society thinks? If she is too worried or concerned than all she has to do is not marry Kei.


I think this is all very troubling and confusing. Royal people have married in the past against the wishes of the parents or society. Yes, some lost their succession rights and other privileges. But Mako's princessy status is already doomed unless she marries a foreign prince.


She is sticking with Kei at all costs but doesn't marry him. Wish I could know all the reasons. Yes, there's the tax payers money (she could reject it, no?), and there is people bitter about Kei (but its her life and she is free to love whom she wants to). ML got a lot of backlash about Durek, but she is still with him regardless of what people say. I know Japan has a different culture and all, but when I was there I felt that people had more freedom than other conservative countries, for example Brunei, Malaysia, Dubai, and so on.

 

[Somebody]

Oh can’t I even say something “unnatural” nor “mysterious”? I also criticize that newspapers don’t give full information due to “consideration” but so I have to go to ask them to write everything about Akishino?

That all seems constraint of freedom of expression.

This might also be part of the cultural difference. The examples are not comparable. One is an explanation about a cultural issue; the other is an accusation which is considered a huge issue in the western world; as you are (baselessly!) attacking people's integrity - just to paint Kei Komuro in a bad light.

I don't know whether it is common practice in Japan that people higher up in society are treated this way (and I am not saying that it is not happening elsewhere but it is perceived differently among different countries/cultures), so that's why you might not take it as seriously as I do; or that is why you envision others to do that as well - but this is something that is not taken lightly in the west.

I attach links as far as possible, some of them are first-hand and so valuable document, but you say these were insufficient.

You didn't provide any link to the specific article we were discussing while you claimed it was available for all to see and judge for ourselves; which it wasn't.

Why do you claim so much? Do you claim it to everyone else？

I don't think I understand what you are talking about. What am I claiming? I am just asking for evidence of ONE specific claim that you made. And yes, if you check other parts of the forum, you will see that it is not uncommon to ask people to back up their claims.

If you had just shared your opinion that you didn't think the piece was of high quality, that would be fine. Others might agree or disagree but we wouldn't be having this discussion. However, you insinuated that he got second prize due to his position, which is very different.

Sorry again for my impoliteness and for poor English.

It's great that you made the step to join a foreign forum and write in English(!); and we know that misunderstandings may arise from language issues, so please continue to contribute but it would help to be a little less dismissive of others' points of views

But I’m a little tired, can I ignore you from now on? Not small number of people said what I wrote was helpful...

You can both write helpful things and unhelpful things. As I said, your perspective as someone from Japan 'carries sufficient weight', meaning that it is valuable to hear from people from the country itself. However, being from the country itself doesn't make everything you write true - but it does provide us an inside perspective.

Will refrain from discussing this issue any further to avoid going around in circles,

 

[MichaelB]

Thank you very much for speaking up.

It was but a small thing to do. I am aware that it costs Prisma a lot of time and work to keep people updated on the Japanese imperial family. I think it is very important what she does here because there is not much reliable information about them to be found in Western sources.
I am also very fond of your postings. Prisma and you are, in my opinion, the two people who keep the Japanese forum going.
Thank you for that.

I have refrained from posting in this thread recently, partly because I am not yet caught up, but partly because I have been cogitating over how to respond to certain comments which, as you mention, were unfairly directed at Prisma even though they ought to have have been directed at myself and the other readers of this forum and at Westerners in general and the Japanese mainstream media, if at all.

It is difficult to respond to such comments. Nobody wants to appear culturally insensitive. But if you try too hard, it is unfortunately easy to silence you.

I think I have once read similar discussions in this forum that took place years ago. One or two Japanese posters slandered Princess Masako, claiming to speak on behalf of all Japanese and claiming that the opinion of non-Japanese people was of no value in this matter because them unlearned Westerners did not understand Japanese culture. They were pretty stunned, however, when after some time another Japanese poster turned up who strongly supported the princess....

 

[Junjun]

Thank you @fabaunty and @Junjun, the succession in Japan is very interesting topic, though I agree with others that it is more likely to see a female monarch in Thailand than Japan, at least for now.


I wonder if Mako is super in love with Kei since she didn't leave him after all those scandals emerged. If she is very much in love with him, why not marry him already? What is she waiting for? She will lose her princess title right after marriage, so marrying now or later won't change that fact. Is she too worried about the IF or what the society thinks? If she is too worried or concerned than all she has to do is not marry Kei.


I think this is all very troubling and confusing. Royal people have married in the past against the wishes of the parents or society. Yes, some lost their succession rights and other privileges. But Mako's princessy status is already doomed unless she marries a foreign prince.


She is sticking with Kei at all costs but doesn't marry him. Wish I could know all the reasons. Yes, there's the tax payers money (she could reject it, no?), and there is people bitter about Kei (but its her life and she is free to love whom she wants to). ML got a lot of backlash about Durek, but she is still with him regardless of what people say. I know Japan has a different culture and all, but when I was there I felt that people had more freedom than other conservative countries, for example Brunei, Malaysia, Dubai, and so on.

Why don’t they marry each other?

I don’t know...It’s curious, indeed, and many explanation are made for it but they’re all speculation and I decline to discuss them for there is no evidence. It is often said by Japanese PM that “I decline to talk hypothetically.”

“With evidence” rule is very very strictly applied for a Japanese poster. But of course you are free to say anything if you are Westerners.


So it will suddenly happens that the marriage of them is announced in newspapers, accompanying foundation of female monarch. It seems a victory of western value, but it is actually victory of Akishino family and checkmate of Japanese democracy.

 

[Prinsara]

I'll throw in my two cents as someone who hails from the US:

- the New York state bar is a very serious organization in a country that's not Japan. I doubt they would even know about Komuro's connection to the Akishino, nor would they be impressed in the slightest if they had.

- For that matter, Fordham is a good, not stellar law school. The Imperial connections didn't get him into Harvard or Yale. He is where he is (was), probably because of who he is, not who he knows.

-And it's also possible to be a relatively indifferent student and still turn out an impressive paper.

It's the way of the media in several royal countries to have scapegoats and people they choose to focus negative attention on, and it always shifts eventually. Right now it's Mako and Kei.

(Deliberate metaphor) I think the jury is still out on KK. For everyone's sake, let's hope he's a decent person.