Prince Hitachi and Family Current Events Part 1: July 2005 -


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Princess Hanako will be hospitalized at Ariake Hospital January 31 - February 5 for a gynecological workup. She will also undergo treatment and rehabilitation for lumbar vertebral spondylosis.

Previously, she was hospitalized for lumbar vertebral spondylosis for several weeks at the same hospital in September 2017.

Source: Sankei
 
:previous: Princess Hanako was discharged from Ariake Hospital on February 5 as planned. The Imperial Household Agency did not disclose her gynecological test results except to report there are no plans for treatment or readmission. Future public service is on schedule.

Source: Jiji
 
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An Imperial police officer, member in department 2 which escorts Prince and Princess Hitachi, has COVID-19. The man in his 50s has not been in contact with the couple for over 3 weeks since he accompanied Prince Hitachi on a private visit in late June. The officer's duty was only a few hours and everyone wore face masks. The Hitachi couple do not have symptoms.

The man and his family were found to be infected on July 7; the family did not go to work (self-isolating?) since July 6 when they took the PCR tests. The officer retook the PCR test on the 16th which returned as positive on the 17th but has no symptoms.

Source: Sankei
 
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An Imperial police officer, member in department 2 which escorts Prince and Princess Hitachi, has COVID-19. The man in his 50s has not been in contact with the couple for over 3 weeks since he accompanied Prince Hitachi on a private visit in late June. The officer's duty was only a few hours and everyone wore face masks. The Hitachi couple do not have symptoms.

The man and his family were found to be infected on July 7; the family did not go to work (self-isolating?) since July 6 when they took the PCR tests. The officer retook the PCR test on the 16th which returned as positive on the 17th but has no symptoms.

Source: Sankei

Best wishes to the imperial police officer and his family for a speedy recovery. I wonder why this story is being reported given that no members of the imperial family are affected, but I suppose it is better to be over-transparent than insufficiently transparent regarding COVID in the IHA workplace.
 
On November 10th, Prince Hitachi attended the 55th Nemunoki and Takagi Prize Awards Ceremony at the Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo.

AP Images
 
On December 15th, Prince Hitachi visited the "40th Art Exhibition for Physically Handicapped Children / Digital Photo Exhibition" at Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. He is President of the Japanese Society for Disabled Children which sponsored the exhibition. The venue exhibited 122 works such as paintings, books, digital art, and photographs.

Photos/video: Sankei Imperial Weekly 723, news24.jp
 
On April 18th, Prince Hitachi attended the "40th Ueno Royal Museum Grand Prize Exhibition" award ceremony at the Japan Art Academy in Taito, Tokyo. Aiko Watanabe's oil painting "Tomorrow's Day to Find Forgotten Things" was selected from 990 entries for the top painting award.

Photo/Video: Sankei, FNN
 
On June 30th, Prince Hitachi attended the Reiwa 4 (2022) National Inventional Award Ceremony at Hotel Okura Tokyo. He is President of the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation.

According the institute, he attended the annual event since 1970 until the pandemic. The ceremony was canceled in 2020 and the prince did not attend the 2021 ceremony due to infection control measures.

Photos: Jiji, Sankei
 
Thanks, iceflower!

It's good to see Princess Hanako again. Videos of the 33rd Praemium Imperiale:
 
On October 28th, Prince Hitachi attended the Dainippon Silk Foundation 2022 commendation ceremony at the Imperial Hotel in Chiyoda, Tokyo.
 
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Today, November 9, Prince Hitachi attended an award ceremony in Tokyo for those working with disabled children:


** tt.se gallery **
 
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On December 1st, Prince Hitachi visited the 2022 / 41st Physically Disabled Children and Persons Art/Digital Photo exhibition, organized by the Japan Association for Children with Physical Disabilities, at a gallery in Toshima, Tokyo. He is president of the association and met the winners online.

Photo: Sankei Imperial Weekly 772 (includes another photo of Princess Hanako on November 30)
 
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Princess Hitachi (Hanako) attended the Japan Equestrian Federation Awards Ceremony in Minato Ward, Tokyo on the afternoon of January 21. Princess Hitachi (Hanako) has been the Honorary President of the Equestrian Federation since 1991. The ceremony was held for the first once in three years due to COVID-19.

Sources:
Article and images on 日テレNEWS
Video on YouTube
 
Good morning. Does it also seem to you that Princess Hitachi is more fragile? Or is it just my impression?
 
This Mainichi article reports Princess Hitachi's activity on November 30th. It is along with all other Imperial Family events from 25 November to 8 December 2022.
 
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Good morning. Does it also seem to you that Princess Hitachi is more fragile? Or is it just my impression?
Hmm, hard to say. She is 82 and no longer as publicly active. From the few recent activities, Princess Hanako seems to be doing well for her age and health.

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NTV's English video of the Japan Equestrian Federation Awards ceremony.

Note: the video incorrectly describes as "the wife of the late Prince Hitachi..."
He's still alive!
 
Prince Hitachi (Masahito) has been hospitalized in the Japan Red Cross Medical Center in Shibuya, Tokyo since the end of February due to a high fever (37 degrees). He underwent tests for Covid-19 and flu and tested negative on 28 February. After the tests he left the hospital, however he returned the same evening because the fever was still high (38 degrees).
According to his doctor, he had a fever for days. Prince Hitachi has symptoms of nasal congestion.

Sources: Sankei, Nikkei, Nippon, Nhk.jp, Asahi

UPDATE

Prince Hitachi (Masahito) underwent surgery on 28 February at the Japan Red Cross Medical Center in Tokyo after being diagnosed with ureteral stones, most likely the cause of his high fever. The surgery went well and the post-operative course is progressing quite well. The operation was performed under general anesthesia for approximately 40 minutes from 4.50pm. Princess Hitachi (Hanako), has visited the center to accompany her husband.

Sources: Nikkei, Yomiouri, Asahi, Sankei, Mainichi
 
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The surgery was on March 2, not February 28.

Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko were concerned about Prince Hitachi's physical condition and conveyed their sympathies via aides.

Source: FNN
 
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On March 5th, Prince Hitachi was discharged from the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Shibuya, Tokyo. The Imperial Household Agency says he will be hospitalized again in about 2 weeks for further treatment to remove ureteral stones. He is in good physical condition.

Sources: Sankei, Jiji
 
On March 6th, the Imperial Household Agency announced Princess Hanako will be in mourning for 30 days for her older sister Yasuko Nishida (1931 - 2023) who passed away on March 4.

Princess Hanako's meeting with the president of Japan Ikebana Art Association on March 9 at the Hitachi residence will be postponed. Mourning began from the 4th.

Sources: Asahi, Sankei

From their father Yoshitaka Tsugaru's Japanese Wikipedia page 津軽義孝, Yasuko was the eldest daughter. She married Ikuhiko Nishida and had 2 sons. The younger son was adopted to be his grandfather's heir (Susumu Tsugaru).
 
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On March 20th, Prince Hitachi was admitted to the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Shibuya, Tokyo before 2pm to prepare for the ureteral lithotripsy. The Imperial Household Agency reports the prince is in good health and not in pain.

On March 21st, Prince Hitachi underwent the procedure from 10am for about an hour. The postoperative course is uneventful. Princess Hanako accompanied her husband at hospital admission and surgery.

Sources: NHK, NHK2, Sankei
 
On March 23rd, Princess Hanako visited the "81st All Japan Student Invention and Innovation Exhibition" and attended the awards ceremony at the Science Museum in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (JIII) hosts the annual exhibition. Prince Hitachi is president of JIII and remains hospitalized, recovering from ureteral lithotripsy.

Princess Hanako is still in the 30-day mourning for the death of her older sister Yasuko Nishida (started March 4) but she went through the "removal of mourning" procedure.

Photos: Mainichi, NTV
 
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:previous: More photos at AFLO:

https://www.afloimages.com/imagedet...anako-Hitachinomiya-arrives-at-the-venue.html
https://www.afloimages.com/imagedet...anako-Hitachinomiya-applauds-at-the-awar.html

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On March 24th, Prince Hitachi was discharged from the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Shibuya, Tokyo around 11am. He is progressing well from ureteral lithotripsy, no fever and eating normally. Princess Hanako accompanied her husband's return home.

The ureter stent will be removed and that procedure does not require hospitalization. The doctor will decide the schedule while monitoring Prince's situation.

Sources: NTV, Mainichi
 
Prince Hitachi had fever of 38 C on the night of April 1st and was admitted to Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Shibuya, Tokyo around 11:30am on the 2nd as a precaution. After taking antipyretics, his fever lowered to 37 C by the afternoon but his appetite is less than usual.

The prince will undergo additional tests to find the cause. The IHA has not confirmed other symptoms besides fever and less appetite. Princess Hanako has visited her husband.

Sources: Sankei, NTV, NHK, FNN

Prince Hitachi, former Emperor Akihito's brother, taken to hospital - Kyodo News
[...]

The 87-year-old was recovering well after surgery to crush stones in his ureter in March, but he was readmitted to the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center as a precaution, the agency said.

[...]
 
Prince Hitachi was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on April 3 and is being treated with antibiotics at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Shibuya, Tokyo. He still had a low grade fever but his appetite has recovered.

Sources: NHK, Sankei, Asahi
 
On April 15th, Princess Hanako attended the Charity Bingo Party hosted by the Japan Animal Welfare Society (JAWS) at the Tokyo American Club in Minato, Tokyo. She is honorary president of JAWS.

Source: Sankei Imperial Weekly 791

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On April 24th in the morning, Prince Hitachi was discharged from the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Shibuya, Tokyo. He was hospitalized for 20+ days and treated with antibiotics for a urinary tract infection following ureteral stone surgery. Princess Hanako accompanied her husband home.

While hospitalized, all ureteral stone treatments were completed including stent removal. Since Prince Hitachi has no plans to visit the hospital in the future, the Imperial Household Agency will discuss his future official duties with doctors and consider his physical condition.

Sources: NTV, Sankei, NHK
 
On April 28th, Princess Hanako attended the 41st Ueno Royal Museum Grand Prize Exhibition award ceremony at Ueno Royal Museum in Taito, Tokyo.

Afterwards, she toured the exhibition and congratulated the winners. Princess Hanako attended on behalf of Prince Hitachi, who is president of Japan Art Association, was recently discharged from hospital.

Photos: Sankei, FNN
 
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