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


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Well, that is how representative democracies usually work. (You might want to fix that link, it does not lead anywhere.)

It seems to me that if the Japanese tax payers DONT want their money to go to Mako and her young man, the best thing is to write to their political representative and to keep up some kind of campaign in hopes that the govt will change tier minds. (Sorry i dont know what the corrrect term si, but the equivalent of thier MP)
 
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Originally Posted by kikunohana
Tsuneyasu Takeda is a right-winged political commentator who has also taught constitutional law at Keio University and famously supports male-only succession […]


All what you say about Takeda is in itself correct but would inevitably lead us in a direction of seeing him as an unbiased, well-meaning watcher of this whole Komuro story. You have omitted those parts that would make us suspect him of having an agenda here. I have a very hard time assuming that this is by accident.

Can I ask where, if you've been following any of the IF Succession discussions here on TRF, you or any reader would concur that a "right winged political commentator" is in any way impartial or unbiased?

As soon as I read that Takeda is a "right-winged political commentator" who happens to be a great-grandson of Emperor Meiji, I immediately realized that he was not an unbiased or necessarily without some skin in this particular issue of whether or not Mako should be able to marry Komuro without leaving the IF entirely, and I would guess that is true of most of the others posting or reading along in this particular discussion.

Junjun & kikunohana - I hope you keep posting here and sharing some of the differing points of view that are being presented in the Japanese media as well as the Japanese public opinion polls. I find all of this to be very fascinating and while it would be lovely to see Mako marry the man she loves, I can respect why people are very concerned (especially if the yakuza connections prove to be true).
 
It seems to me that if the Japanese tax payers DONT want their money to go to Mako and her young man, the best thing is to write to their political representative and to keep up some kind of campaign in hopes that the govt will change tier minds. (Sorry i dont know what the corrrect term si, but the equivalent of thier MP)
I happen to agree with Kikunohana in that I find it improbable that they would decide to cut down the sum very much or at all, no matter what the public wants. I think it would mean a „loss of face“ for the imperial family if they did. But I may be wrong in this, of course.

Can I ask where, if you've been following any of the IF Succession discussions here on TRF, you or any reader would concur that a "right winged political commentator" is in any way impartial or unbiased?
I understand where you come from. Would you agree, though, that there is a difference between on one hand a person holding a certain political view in general and, on the other, a person taking a very personal interest in something or entertaining a specific ambition regarding an issue?
As soon as I read that Takeda is a "right-winged political commentator" who happens to be a great-grandson of Emperor Meiji, I immediately realized that he was not an unbiased or necessarily without some skin in this particular issue of whether or not Mako should be able to marry Komuro without leaving the IF entirely, and I would guess that is true of most of the others posting or reading along in this particular discussion.
There are posters who regularly follow the Japanese succession issues and those would certainly know, at least in a general sense. But it seems to me that in the threads about engagements, marriages etc. there are quite a few people stopping by who would not be aware of what being right-wing in Japan specifically means because the circumstances are quite particular.
 
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Can I ask where, if you've been following any of the IF Succession discussions here on TRF, you or any reader would concur that a "right winged political commentator" is in any way impartial or unbiased?

I'm confused by your question as MichaelB's post was first and foremost addressing kikunohana's first citation of Tsuneyasu Takeda, which did not mention his career as a commentator, his political views, or his personal investment in the succession debate:

[...] Perhaps this can be chalked up to a difference in cultural values because it created quite a backlash in Japan, with even the great-great-grandson of the Meiji Emperor and grandson of Prince Tsuneyoshi Takeda, Tsunayasu Takeda, criticizing the recording on the radio. Radio Nippon AM1242+FM93: https://news.1242.com/article/288042


As soon as I read that Takeda is a "right-winged political commentator" who happens to be a great-grandson of Emperor Meiji, I immediately realized that he was not an unbiased or necessarily without some skin in this particular issue of whether or not Mako should be able to marry Komuro without leaving the IF entirely, and I would guess that is true of most of the others posting or reading along in this particular discussion.

As a longtime reader of such discussions I cannot agree with you that any reader would realize Mr. Takeda's partiality. From my experience, the average Western royal watcher does not even realize the basic relationship between the resistance to allowing princesses to remain part of the family after marriage and the desire to restore collateral branches to the line of succession. That is not a criticism, merely an observation.


I understand where you come from. Would you agree, though, that there is a difference between on one hand a person holding a certain political view in general and, on the other, a person taking a very personal interest in something or entertaining a specific ambition regarding an issue?

There are posters who regularly follow the Japanese succession issues and those would certainly know, at least in a general sense. But it seems to me that in the threads about engagements, marriages etc. there are quite a few people stopping by who would not be aware of what being right-wing in Japan specifically means because the circumstances are quite particular.

That is why I personally prefer to avoid that term in designating Japanese political factions or individuals who oppose female succession. The Japanese politicians who are referred to as right-wing by the English-speaking media frequently have little in common with politicians referred to as right-wing in for instance the United States.

Regarding monarchies, there are countries such as Sweden and Britain where right-wing parties/voters were or are more welcoming to equality of women in the succession than left-wing parties/voters. The assumption that a right-wing political commentator is opposed to female succession is not obvious to Westerners, and rightly so.
 
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That is why I personally prefer to avoid that term in designating Japanese political factions or individuals who oppose female succession. The Japanese politicians who are referred to as right-wing by the English-speaking media frequently have little in common with politicians referred to as right-wing in for instance the United States.

Regarding monarchies, there are countries such as Sweden and Britain where right-wing parties/voters were or are more welcoming to equality of women in the succession than left-wing parties/voters. The assumption that a right-wing political commentator is opposed to female succession is not obvious to Westerners, and rightly so.
You say it much better than I could. Thank you.
 
Komuro is reported to have just completed his college graduation online on the afternoon of the 23rd of US time. Congratulations again.

(According to the TV Asahi Morning Show, each graduates was called online with their face photo and personal message displayed on the screen, except for Komuro, whose picture and message were not seen.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/1a8ba7cd34fa10ae52e4c72368145c6950b93b58

Ms Mayu Yamaguchi, who are qualified as lawyer both in Japan and NYC, commented on this :"If it were another graduate, it would be a tremendous shock. The graduation ceremony is once-in-a-lifetime sunny place for them and their family.")


The day after the graduation decision was reported, it was revealed that Komuro would not return to Japan after the bar examination. The Josei Jishin confirmed with Komuro's agent. It also means that there are no plans to hold a press conference.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b39f6df095e1358bae89c9548edd2da7863e58b2



If he returned to Japan at the end of July, it would be the worst time, it is reported by Daily Shincho as a story of a person inside the Imperial Household Agency.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/85872f5d4cc86dc6fd2de9ddc94ddaf7dd5ebc79

"There are many people who throw this out as the" worst timing ". Without setting up to some extent, it would be rather a tragedy when he return home in the midst of turmoil."

Of course, the IHA also envisions media’s response when returning to Japan.

"He (i.e.IHA official) also said that questions such as ‘Why did you release the document at that time? ‘ or ‘Why did you record it?’ ‘Why did you think it was an important phase to record?’ will be repeated. As long as the document is issued in the name of Mr. Komuro, it will be obligatory to answer. So some people want to prevent him from returning home. "



Another article predicts that Mako and Komuro are "enrolled" in the fall, when the Olympics are over, although the situation is far from "convinced and blessed by the people."

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0fc5e8d3ed71798b2bb6f26ee4662c68be516e0f?page=2

"If the marriage problem between Mako and Komuro is prolonged, the people's trust in IF will only be lost. Also, IHA will continue to be swayed. I know that the people's opposition is strong, but as long as the intention of Mako does not change, there is nothing that can be done as a government office. It is also the feeling of IHA that it is better to get married early and leave IF .” An IHA OB said.


So it is more likely that Mako and Komuro get married in US without official procedure of engagement.

Many media outlets have already voiced concerns about the future of Mako and Komuro's marriage.


Daily Shincho reported on the tuition fees that were too high for Komuro's single-mother family in the past.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/2fb2ed8846109e44b81ced6d075fe8b15c122597?page=1
Komuro has been attending expensive schools such as Attatched Elementary School for National College of Music, Canadian International School, and ICU since he was in elementary school, and the total tuition fee is at least 21.8 million yen ($ 0.2 m). ..

Mr. Komuro had a minimum tuition fee of 21.8 million yen from elementary school to university. On the other hand, the article says that if he goes to a ward school in Tokyo from elementary school and junior high school and goes from a metropolitan high school to a national university such as the University of Tokyo or Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, it would have costed 3.06m yen (some $28k).

If you were a child of a general Japanese single-mother family, you would naturally choose the latter.

It's no wonder that some people have doubts about this decision. It's safe to say that they are spending money without thinking about the future that Mr. Komuro becomes Mako's husband. Some people feel uncomfortable about becoming Mrs. Komuro becoming Mako’s mother-in-law.


Komuro's mother was also reported to have asked her ex-fiancé dinner at a luxurious restaurant, a photo shoot at a luxurious hotel, a wedding abroad and so on, so she is considered to be a person who likes to live a disproportionately luxurious life. And she has been always depending on someone else's money.
This is still quite a big concern, even if the concern on alleged yakuza connection is excluded.





Another article by Daily Shincho predicts, as a comment from a family problem consultant and columnist,that Mako and Komuro will suffer from serious domestic conflicts after marriage due to the high degree of "mother-child closeness" between Ms. Komuro and her son Kei.
According to this article, the domestic divorce rate is currently about 40%(wow it's much higher than I expected), but in so-called "gap marriages" like Mako and Komuro, it jumps to 60 to 70%.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/07279b14901386af9ad7133f9b06f6cd2482159b

"These couples often quarrel after marriage due to financial problems, and there are many women who cannot divorce because their children are taken hostage and cannot obtain custody. In the unlikely event that they are divorced, Mako cannot return to the imperial family and has a hard time, but in the worst case, no matter how hard it is, she will not be allowed to divorce and will continue to suffer for her life with Komuro's mother and child. "







There was also an article comparing the scandals in the European RF with the "Komuro problem".
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c322c5b20681fc525643eaa38b9d495296c72a16
This article mentioned embezzlement case by Inaki Urdangarin, the husband of Princess Cristina,the sister of King Felipe VI of Spain, as well as the elephant hunting tour and bribery by former King Juan Carlos I.
After that, the case in Denmark is introduced as a reference example.

From 2016, the Danish royal family has decided that children of the royal family other than the crown prince's eldest son will not be paid by the royal family from the age of 18 years old.

[...]

In the Danish royal family, royalty other than the head family must earn and live on their own. Born there as a royal member, doing public affairs does not guarantee food, clothing, shelter and living expenses. It's a tough, but timely choice.



Personally, I think it would have been better for Mako to have a proper career and a source of income, rather than having a part-time job three times a week. Because in that case, she should have known that the rigors of working and making money, that people are refined by working, and that there is a man who is suitable for her among those who have been refined in that way. ..
Also, if she wanted to marry a person despite people's opposition, not only can she insist on their freedom, but she can also open up her own life after marriage.
 
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Thank you for answering that question. See, what you give us here perfectly serves to illustrate what I meant when I said that you might be picking and choosing pieces from the wealth of information that is available to you as a Japanese native speaker, thereby creating a very specific image in our minds. You are doing this in a very skillful way and I want to use this example in order to show just once to everybody what I mean here.

All what you say about Takeda is in itself correct but would inevitably lead us in a direction of seeing him as an unbiased, well-meaning watcher of this whole Komuro story. You have omitted those parts that would make us suspect him of having an agenda here. I have a very hard time assuming that this is by accident.

Kikunohana, you have presented Takeda to us as an unbiased, valuable commenter on the issue, you have even doubled down on that after I had drawn your attention to the fact that most readers here would not be familiar with his name - although you must well know that he has a horse in this race himself. In this case I happen to have the information I need in order to know that what you write is potentially misleading and that you have informed us in a very partisan way.

As a result, I do not see any use in discussing the bullying accusations with you because after what I have read from you so far, I am sure that if there were any mitigating circumstances or if there were any reason to doubt what is presented to us you would not be willing to inform us about it.

I referenced Takeda specifically regarding the perception and reception of Komuro secretly recording his mother and her ex-fiancé. This was about how the secret recording is seen in Japan, and since you were unconvinced that Komuro withholding the recording could not been interpreted as respecting the ex-fiancé’s privacy, and Takeda actually referred to public sentiment on the recording and not just his own opinion if you read the article or its title, the media reported on what he said about the recording on the radio as an imperial descendant and it became a popular story in itself because of his connections, and it was published by other news media and the Yahoo News version had thousands of comments and tens of thousands of likes, I chose to share that article. And since you have remained skeptical about the other sources I have shared, I thought you might be more willing to read a radio transcript in which someone mentioned the perception of the recording on air, because you would at least know those words were said on a radio and could not be concocted by the imagination of a tabloid writer.

Since many posters here having been following and/or posting in the other Imperial Family threads (and I knew you had because you kept referring to those Crown Prince Akishino supporters), I assume most are actually more familiar with Takeda as a commentator and strong supporter of the Akishino family than as an actual Imperial Family descendant. Even Washington Post and the New York Times have only referred to him as a commentator at times, while his family background is always noted in Japan. But I do appreciate you informing the informed despite what you may think, as I did originally consider explaining the fact that Takeda strongly supports Crown Prince Akishino, yet questions the Crown Prince’s judgement and does not approve of Komuro on account of what has been revealed about him, tells that Komuro’s recording act was not well-received by regular members of the public. Most people do not feel as strongly for Crown Prince Akishino and Prince Hisahito as Takeda, but that a staunch supporter of that family, who can claim direct lineage to Emperor Meiji in the media, should give you more reason to believe that such behavior in Japanese culture is considered a gross violation of privacy. But I knew that Takeda would have made the same comments no matter his views on imperial succession. However, if you think Takeda can use the recording as an argument against allowing female succession and to support restoring the collateral branches of the imperial line, then surely that means that particular act is seen as morally objectionable in Japan.

Since I realized you might not be able to discern if Takeda was simply framing Komuro’s act in a biased manner to serve himself in some way, rather than speaking as a member of Japanese society and as someone who can claim imperial connections, because you do not know how privacy is perceived in Japan in regard to secret recordings, I provided the other sources and experts, so you would understand that the reaction to the recording is independent of succession debates and not coming from one place. Knowing how our discussions usually go, I should have just spent more time to find and include the other sources in the beginning so you would focus on the reception of the recording itself, but quite frankly, I already had to provide so many sources for other points of these discussions, I thought it should be obvious that secretly recording other people talking about their personal relationships is not considered respectful of privacy in Japan, it is the first article on google news on the recording and the Yahoo News version was incredibly popular, it is tiring to research and provide articles with facts when you know they are just going to be dismissed and the discussion is going to instead go off on a tangent again that ignores relevant facts that were shared and not cite sources when you are asked to do so and it is in the rules.

No, I did not say Takeda is an unbiased source who speaks for everyone and both statements I made are true. He has appeared on TBS, Fuji TV and Asahi TV many times as a commentator. He was on Yomiuri TV (flagship of NTV) just yesterday. As you said, there are not many Imperial descendants who are willing to talk about the Imperial Family in the media, so naturally, the media reaches out to him and if he were not related to Emperor Meiji, it is highly unlikely they would bother to talk to him. I am sure you remember that Prince Mikasa also shared similar views about the Imperial line, which he spoke about publicly, and that did not mean he spoke for everyone but it also did not change the fact that he was of imperial blood.

The JOC debacle and that his father hit and killed a pedestrian when he was younger, but never had to serve prison time thanks to his family’s imperial background, are exactly what I meant by “immense privilege.” I was most certainly was not implying that it is a good thing, but the truth is the Takeda family still has enough influence that they can avoid punishment for what would land most of us in prison. You do know his father only had to step down from the JOC after France started its investigation and Japan/the JOC somehow concluded there were no ethics violations in their own investigation.
 
As a result, I do not see any use in discussing the bullying accusations with you because after what I have read from you so far, I am sure that if there were any mitigating circumstances or if there were any reason to doubt what is presented to us you would not be willing to inform us about it.
That does not mean that I think that the accusations against Komuro are false. Maybe they are true and maybe Komuro is a horrible person. The reports do sound very concerning, I will give you that.
What keeps me somewhat from fully believing them is that, as I have said before, I am having some sort of a déjà vu here.
During the time when Empress Masako was the object of the media bullying there were also countless stories on why she was so useless, most of them from Japanese sources (only). When posters here tried to find excuses for her or other explanations for why she had done something seemingly bad, there was always another story and another story that backed up the allegations. And at some point there was always this same: „Maybe you Westerners do not understand why this is so bad but according to Japanese culture, this is simply unacceptable.“ In the case of the empress her defenders were in a relatively better position because there was quite a bit of information about her to be found in English as she had been somewhat famous even before her marriage.
In Komuro´s case we do not have that sort of information. We are mostly dependent on what we get from Japanese sources. But even if we choose to use the Google translator there is no certainty in that information either. The Japanese media system is in a very fundamental way different from the Western system, so it is impossible for us to reliably evaluate the information it gives us. I am certainly no expert on it but that much I know.


I take it you are going to be selective and not apply this rule to others despite the pages of omissions from the Josei Prime articles and missing interviews.


The tabloid gossip articles about Empress Masako are not at all comparable to the Bunshun article because those contained no verifiable sources or evidence. The bullying allegations were substantiated by other classmates and guardians at two different schools, victims spoke on record and one of them on video and provided texts. But since this is the third time we have tried to discuss the bullying but you have never addressed the actual allegations and evidence, and you are going to write me off anyway,[FONT=&quot] [/FONT] I won’t ask you to consider them again even though Princess Aiko and Empress Masako went through similar bullying experiences.


Well, that is how representative democracies usually work. (You might want to fix that link, it does not lead anywhere.)


https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e-about/seido/seido08.html
 
I happen to agree with Kikunohana in that I find it improbable that they would decide to cut down the sum very much or at all, no matter what the public wants. I think it would mean a „loss of face“ for the imperial family if they did. But I may be wrong in this, of course.

but its not the IF who is giving the money, its the Tax payer, isn't it? If the IF wanted to give their own private money to her, there might be a bit of annoyance but it woudl be a private things and I dont think the public would care that much. So if it is Government money, then surely the Govt might reduce the sum if the pubilc as a whole make their oppositon clear. And I am confused, I did ask.. why this man and his family are getting publicly paid security if he's not actually married to the Princess. Perhaps someone answered me but sorry I did not see the answer...
 
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Can I ask where, if you've been following any of the IF Succession discussions here on TRF, you or any reader would concur that a "right winged political commentator" is in any way impartial or unbiased?

As soon as I read that Takeda is a "right-winged political commentator" who happens to be a great-grandson of Emperor Meiji, I immediately realized that he was not an unbiased or necessarily without some skin in this particular issue of whether or not Mako should be able to marry Komuro without leaving the IF entirely, and I would guess that is true of most of the others posting or reading along in this particular discussion.

Junjun & kikunohana - I hope you keep posting here and sharing some of the differing points of view that are being presented in the Japanese media as well as the Japanese public opinion polls. I find all of this to be very fascinating and while it would be lovely to see Mako marry the man she loves, I can respect why people are very concerned (especially if the yakuza connections prove to be true).


Thank you.

I think I answered part of your question in more detail in my response to MichaelB, but I was specifically referring to how Komuro’s secret recording act was viewed in Japan, not using Takeda as an unbiased source on the engagement itself. I provided additional sources in my previous post, since I realized readers might not be able to tell when Takeda is only talking from bias for personal gain, or talking as a member of the Takeda Family and Japanese society. If you are familiar with Japanese culture, you would already know that Komuro’s act is seen as a great violation of privacy, so you would be able to tell that what Takeda was talking about was unrelated to personal views on succession.

When MichaelB insisted that Komuro’s secret recording claim could be interpreted in a positive way and did not seem convinced that the act of secretly recording others is considered a violation of privacy itself, I used Takeda as an example because he referred to both the public’s reaction and his reaction as an imperial descendant on the radio, which also became its own news story on account of Takeda’s familial background though I personally do not share Takeda’s views on imperial succession or politics in general. Takeda’s political counterparts, by the way, also use Komuro as an argument for Princess Aiko to inherit the throne, because they believe Komuro’s presence shows poor judgement on the part of Crown Prince Akishino and his family that could lead to more problems. So you could try to argue that anyone who objects to the secret recording has an agenda, when the reality is that behavior is just not acceptable in Japanese society and the reaction was beyond any political leaning, personal agenda or personal stake in the matter.


On that note: On May 19, Sankei News discovered that references to Princess Mako and Kei Komuro had been erased from the official record of the April 8 government panel hearing on the imperial succession issue that was released on April 23. (April 8 is the same day Komuro also released his 28-page document which JunJun noted.) When Sankei News asked the office in charge of recording proceedings why part of the record had been erased, the office said it is their practice to summarize the main points of the hearing and release them to the public with the permission of those speaking at the hearing. The English version of a Mainichi News article published on May 13 covers the material that was eliminated from the record of the hearing.
Sankei News: https://www.sankei.com/politics/news/210519/plt2105190021-n1.html
Mainichi News (English): https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210512/p2a/00m/0na/017000c
 
Kikunohana, we will not agree, you know that and I know that. I just once wanted to explain in detail for everyone why I think that your choice of information is very selective and one-sided. This being done, I trust that everybody can and will make up their own mind. That is all I was aiming at.

it is tiring to research and provide articles with facts when you know they are just going to be dismissed and the discussion is going to instead go off on a tangent again that ignores relevant facts that were shared and not cite sources when you are asked to do so and it is in the rules.
I have provided sources for some of what I said, for the rest I assume that you know as well as I do that what I say is true. If there should be something that you did not know before and want a source for, please specifically tell me and I will try and look it up.

I am sure you remember that Prince Mikasa also shared similar views about the Imperial line, which he spoke about publicly, and that did not mean he spoke for everyone but it also did not change the fact that he was of imperial blood.
I suppose you mean Prince Tomohito of Mikasa? I indeed do remember him and his views. We both agree on that he as well as Takeda are blood-related to the imperial family. This is hardly controversial.

but its not the IF who is giving the money, its the Tax payer, isn't it?
The relations between the imperial family, the government and the public are complicated in Japan. It would be OT to go into much detail here (if anybody is interested to read more about that I´d recommend these threads: https://www.theroyalforums.com/foru...ionalist-politics-past-and-present-33769.html and https://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f68/succession-and-membership-issues-4108.html) but just to give you an idea: ever since the succession debate has started (around 2005 if I remember correctly) there has always been a comfortable majority of Japanese who supported giving the princesses succession rights. Everybody agrees that there is a problem. There also is majority consent on a solution. But still nothing happens. It would take too much space here to explain why. But it has got to do with the Japanese way of doing politics that is very averse to controversy and with a certain form of enmeshment (as I would call it) of the government on one hand and the imperial family on the other. That means that the government would not make a decision to publicly embarrass the imperial family (as curtailing the lump sum would be in my view but on that I may be wrong).

If the IF wanted to give their own private money to her, there might be a bit of annoyance but it woudl be a private things and I dont think the public would care that much.
I do not think that you are right here. It is an important part of the public image of the imperial family that they live in a modest, selfless way. The public reacts very sensitively to any display of luxury, much more than the public in other countries would as you can also see in this thread. While what you propose would be a viable solution in, say, Great Britain or Norway, it would create a huge backlash in Japan. (Imo)

And I am confused, I did ask.. why this man and his family are getting publicly paid security if he's not actually married to the Princess.
I do not know why they do that but I feel reminded of the time when the emperor was courting the empress which took quite a long time because she did not want to marry but rather further pursue her career as a diplomat. Even from the coverage of the Western media it was clear that she was hunted down by the press on a regular basis, even during her stay in Oxford. (The empress famously called one of the paparazzi a „cockroach“. The man was quite indignant about it because which nice Japanese young lady would say such a thing? But I think that this shows that it must have been really, really bad.) At the time, she was not engaged to Naruhito, she was not even his girlfriend. (The imperial family criticized the behaviour of the press, not for the last time.)
This is just a guess of mine but maybe they are paying security because of this media frenzy. While I do think that it would be the better solution to tell the press to tone it down a little bit, maybe they are just not able to.

My second guess would be – and mind you, it is just a guess, I could be totally wrong – that they are aware that controversies around the imperial family tend to create violent behavior in quite a few people. The mayor of Nagasaki was famously shot because he dared to utter the thought that Emperor Hirohito bore some responsibility for the war (which is a fact that goes without saying imo but is something you´d rather not publicly state in Japan). I can easily imagine that there might be certain people who want to save Princess Mako and the imperial family from Komuro and his alleged Yakuza connections by shooting Komuro. It might even be the Yakuza themselves... (For a bit more on the Yakuza and Japanese politics see here.) This admittedly is total speculation but would be in line with what has happened so far.
 
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Thakns for your reply. I'll read this later but it is kind of you to try to answer my questions. I have been meaning to read up a bit on the JIF for a while
 
You are welcome. The imperial family of Japan is a fascinating subject and I am happy to share the bits I know.
 
You are welcome. The imperial family of Japan is a fascinating subject and I am happy to share the bits I know.

I have to say that while I know its a different culture, I feel the IF/Jap Govt have created many of these problems. It seems to me that there are solutions and compromises but from what you say, they would not consider any of these..
THey could give less to Mako... not nothing as that would be unfair.. but less money... Or they could refuse police protection for non members of the IF...
 
Dear posters and readers, free transfer of the JIF’s asset is banned by law.

This is clearly described in IHA page ‘Finances of the Imperial House’:

https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e-about/seido/seido08.html#H2-02

The above is written in English, please refer it.

I mentioned it in this forum for several times, but some people may have not seen it. Don’t worry, I repeat it. :flowers:

It is reported that the Imperial Household Agency Secretary Nishimura was surprised by the story in the weekly Bunshun (April 29 issue) posted online on April 21st.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a806e3902b8d64d303b1b4c6b9a385bfd46d4347

According to the article, Kei Komuro's mother, Kayo, planned to continue to receive the survivor's pension of her ex-husband who had committed suicide by hiding the fact that she is under common-law marriage and make a living together with her ex-fiance, then be enrolled after he was eligible for his pension. Qualification for the survivor's pension disappears not only in the case of remarriage, but also in the case of common-law marriage.

Although this was previously reported in Shukan Gendai, Bunshun's recent article focused on alleged survivor pension fraud using images of emails allegedly sent by Kayo to his ex-fiancé. Officials in the IHA are reported to be also showing serious interest.

Mr. Nishimura is a former police bureaucracy who has risen to the Chief of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, and it's no wonder he's surprised by the "suspicion of fraud" of someone trying to become the imperial mother-in-law, the article said.

"On the 22nd of April, the day after the article was published online, Mr. Nishimura referred at a regular press conference to Mr. Komuro's agent having indicated his intention to pay a settlement fee to the ex-fiancée, said ’ I didn't have it in advance. I haven't heard the story after the fact. ‘ It sounded like a rebuff.

[…]

There is also a view that he is trying to change the policy of dealing with Komuro family in the face of the alleged fraud problem that cannot be overlooked as a police alumnus. "

[…]

Rather, if Secretary Nishimura considers it a problem, it is not whether or not a fraudulent crime will be established, but Kayo's lack of legal spirit, which she spelled ‘My husband's survivor's pension will cover each other's lives’ and ‘I don’t want to have our common-law marriage known to everyone as much as possible.’ and the financial dependence of encouraging men to provide assistance such as living expenses with the keyword "common-law marriage" without living together or having a physical relationship. "

In conclusion, the article states, "Even if the survivor's pension does not constitute a fraudulent crime, it remains highly questionable whether he and his mother are appropriate to have a relationship with the imperial family."


There are other signs that the wind direction towards Komuro seems to have changed.

On the 24th, Shinji Yamashita, a former Imperial Household Agency employee and journalist, made a shocking comment on a TV talk show in connection with the news of Mr. Komuro's graduation.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b1c14146c3598a1c8fdd4ddc3ea84eed81e06cc4

"In my opinion, I don't think Mr. Komuro is a person of character nor a suitable marriage partner for the imperial family, and more accurate to say, I have no intention of congratulating the marriage itself," he said. .

Mr. Yamashita has been pro-marriage and has spoken many times as a spokesperson for the IHA and the Akishino family, so such a bitter comment was completely unexpected to both co-stars and viewers.

However, Since in the 28-page document Komuro released in April, all he did was to make excuses and attack on the counterpart about the "financial problem", and immediately after that, he expressed his intention to pay the settlement money, and then he did not actually sit at the negotiation table at all, he may have completely lost the trust of the IHA and Akishino.


Akishino was reported to order a re-examination of Komuro by Shukan Josei Prime a few days ago.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/cf51b0472f278ea0d609537ad224045ae7ff46df
 
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Question: why should the son pay for his mother's mistake or faults?
 
Question: why should the son pay for his mother's mistake or faults?

Thank you for question, Reinosa.

As you say, parents and children usually have different personalities.
However, Kei Komuro and his mother are considered to be almost one.
In his 28-page document, Kei was attacking the counterpart, saying he will not repay their debt "to protect his mother's honor."
Kei was also present in both of the two discussions on debt.
 
If his mother is receiving tax payer funded security because of her son's relationship with the Princess, then I think the public are entitled to ask questions
 
Thanks for your answers.

You're welcome, Reinosa. :flowers:

If his mother is receiving tax payer funded security because of her son's relationship with the Princess, then I think the public are entitled to ask questions

Well, I guess maybe they're wary of kidnappings and other attacks.
However, I understand what you say, Denville, in our feelings, it's unreasonable and unfair as a use of tax.:argh:
 
but its not the IF who is giving the money, its the Tax payer, isn't it? If the IF wanted to give their own private money to her, there might be a bit of annoyance but it woudl be a private things and I dont think the public would care that much. So if it is Government money, then surely the Govt might reduce the sum if the pubilc as a whole make their oppositon clear. And I am confused, I did ask.. why this man and his family are getting publicly paid security if he's not actually married to the Princess. Perhaps someone answered me but sorry I did not see the answer...

There always is the possibility that there are people who would do harm to the Imperial Family or the institution by harassing or attacking the future spouse of an IF member and you never know what kinds of deranged people are out there. Guards can also help keep nosy paparazzi and reporters at a distance. The fiancées of British princes also receive protection covered by taxpayers like the fiancés have in Japan, likely for the same reasons. It might be interesting to ask other threads if the people engaged to their royals also receive security because it might not be unique to Japan or the UK.

Kei Komuro’s situation is unusual. Princess Mako and Komuro had their press conference to announce their informal engagement in September 2017, their betrothal ceremony (Nosai-no-Gi) was to happen in March 2018 and they were to marry in Nov 2018. But all was postponed in February 2018 for 2 years due to the loan matter (unofficially). In July 2018, after Fordham announced that “Princess Mako’s fiancé” was going to attend their school, the IHA told Fordham not to refer to Komuro as “fiancé” because the couple had not had their betrothal ceremony, so the engagement was not official (though the ceremony is not required by Imperial Household Law). In 2020, it was announced the couple still planned to marry but needed more time, but no dates were set. Since we cannot go back in time and pretend 2017 did not happen, and the couple continues to express their intentions to marry, Komuro is still treated like a fiancé even though he is not one officially and no one knows when or if the couple will actually marry.

Normally, the mother of the fiancé would not receive special protection but Komuro’s mother is at the heart of the loan matter, which remains unresolved, so she has received a great deal of media attention and her face is widely recognized. New allegations have brought further unwanted attention to Komuro and his mother, so they require more security than the past fiancés.

Question: why should the son pay for his mother's mistake or faults?

The money in the loan matter was used for Kei Komuro’s education and pursuits, and it shows he does not have much experience supporting himself and living within his means (e.g. he chose to attend a private university instead of a public one when he could not afford the tuition, he used part of the money for an expensive trip to Spain which was not its intended purpose, he had the ex-fiancé pay for announcer school but quickly gave up on his plan to become an announcer/anchorman).

Though he claims they were allowed to keep the money to use toward future living expenses, he admits 2 million yen was money he asked to borrow from the ex-fiancé and promised to return immediately (Annotation 11-2 of the 28-page document).

In defending his mother, he was also found to have lied. He first told Crown Prince Akishino he had no knowledge of the loan, which he later contradicted, and he claimed the ex-fiancé did not deny saying the money was given with the intention of not having it returned during a meeting about the loan matter in which he (Komuro) was present, when an audio recording revealed the ex-fiancé had strongly denied saying the money was given without the intention of having it returned (Bunshun, audio on page 2).

One of his mother’s emails revealed he was in on his mother’s survivors pension fraud scheme and implied he had advised her to tell the ex-fiancé to keep his common-law marriage with Mrs Komuro (should they have one) a secret from his daughter because the daughter might accidentally tell others and it would be a problem if the ward office found out (third screenshot).
 
Off-topic and speculative posts have been removed.
 
Will Komuro Get Job at UN through Imperial Connection?

(..)
It is reported that Komuro is trying to get a job at an international organization in NY.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/cb90a1c5dd2662c33edfc47973abc2e7fc1f084d?page=3

"Since he left for the United States, there was a view that Mr. Komuro's purpose was not to obtain a lawyer qualification but to work for an international organization. Especially in New York, the headquarters of international organizations with a "clean image" such as the United Nations and the World Nature Conservation Fund (WWF) , the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are gathered. If he can work there, he will have a perfect status as a "husband of the former royal family". " an imperial official said.

According to the story, if it is realized, an economically sufficient life can be expected for Mr. and Mrs. Komuro.

If Komuro, who has a JD degree, is hired by a UN agency as a regular employee, his annual salary for the first year will be about 10 million yen (some $92K). In addition, when a child is born, a childcare allowance of about 320,000 yen (some $2.93K) is provided for each child. Income tax is not levied on employees of international organizations such as the UN. So he'll get more money than working for a private company with the same amount of income. It's a perfect income to live humblely with Mako.

About 50,000 people belong to the United Nations, including related organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). At the United Nations Headquarters, which organizes this, there are many relatives of people with status such as children of royalty and ministers of each country and children of diplomats.

One imperial journalist told to News Post Seven that "Mr. Komuro chose NY as his study abroad destination in the first place because the headquarters of international organizations with strong imperial connections are concentrated, as not a few officials from the IHA said."


It's not impossible, for it's obvious that western people don't care, as demonstrated here, about his scandals such as denial of debt, bullying, alleged yakuza connection, alleged pension fraud and so on...:lol:

Whether he can 'live humbly' is another matter.
 
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Kei Komuro & his mother reputation, surely problem !

Since I am one of Japanese and know quite a lot about this mom & the son.
They have a lot more money scandal & so many rumors about how they wasted money which is originally from Japanese citizen income tax !
Therefore, so many Japanese citizen are almost against this wedding and against this Komuro mom & the son.
For example, one of the example is Kei Komuro's father committed suicide in the year of 2002. There was a big life insurance coverage to his father.
Insurance company seems to have hesitated to pay such insurance proceeds almost 7 years because they must have doubted about his death whether he really committed suicide or some others...
It is only one example for this family. There are a lot more scandal. I simply would like to know how other foreigners feel about this marriage. Is such guy suitable to become a member of imperial family, etc..
Any of your opinion is very much appreciated.
 
I wonder why they don't simply marry... After all she is not going to play a part in the RF any longer....From what I read, marrying a commoner will immediately see her becoming a commoner too. No ?
 
It is only one example for this family. There are a lot more scandal. I simply would like to know how other foreigners feel about this marriage. Is such guy suitable to become a member of imperial family, etc..
Any of your opinion is very much appreciated.
But in my understanding, he won't become a member of the imperial family. Rather the contrary, Mako will have to leave the imperial family. That is what makes it so much harder to understand: why do people want to control who she marries when the moment she marries she will be stripped of her titles and membership of the imperial family...

If he was to join the imperial family and their children would be in line to the imperial throne, I would understand the fuzz about all of it much better.
 
But in my understanding, he won't become a member of the imperial family. Rather the contrary, Mako will have to leave the imperial family. That is what makes it so much harder to understand: why do people want to control who she marries when the moment she marries she will be stripped of her titles and membership of the imperial family...

If he was to join the imperial family and their children would be in line to the imperial throne, I would understand the fuzz about all of it much better.

Because they have to pay her money when she leaves, and I think if he is a bad lot the public and IF are wary of handing over money to this guy....
 
Because they have to pay her money when she leaves, and I think if he is a bad lot the public and IF are wary of handing over money to this guy....

They pay HER not HIM. But that's a different discussion than him becoming a member of the imperial family.

But it is clear that their happiness is completely irrelevant to many of her family members and the people of Japan, which is a pity imho but probably a cultural issue.
 
They pay HER not HIM. But that's a different discussion than him becoming a member of the imperial family.

But it is clear that their happiness is completely irrelevant to many of her family members and the people of Japan, which is a pity imho but probably a cultural issue.

if they are getting married, any money going to her is going to help him too, obviously. I think also the fact that he seems a litlte shady is something that Japanese people feel strongly about.. ie that when you marry someone who has dubious relatives, it affects your reputation as well. If Mako really loves him and wants to marry him, she can do so. I dont think that they can forbid her.. so why doesnt she just do it?

Certainly I beleive that Japanese culture may mean that the IF and public if they dont like her husband and think he's a bit of a bounder, will think poorly of her for connecting herself to him.. but that's her choice. If she doesn't feel that way and loves him, why doesn't she go ahead and marry him?
 
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...why doesn't she go ahead and marry him?
Same thought here... Mako can visit Kei, and go to Las Vegas to have a quickie wedding. Or if Kei comes back to Japan, then they can go to city hall and file the paperwork. But, she was raised in the IF and her sense of duty to tradition means she probably won't do such a thing.
 
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