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

[Prisma]

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

[Prisma]

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

[Prisma]

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

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Prisma

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.

[Prisma]

On October 29th, Princess Hanako attended the 32nd Praemium Imperiale Awards Ceremony at The Okura Tokyo.

Photo: Sankei

Praemium Imperiale 2021, Yo-Yo Ma riceve a Tokyo il premio per la musica - Arte Magazine

Painting: Sebastião Salgado (Brazil/France)
Sculpture: James Turrell (U. S. A.)
Architecture: Glenn Murcutt (Australia)
Music: Yo-Yo Ma (U. S. A.)
Theatre/Film: No recipient

[Prisma]

On November 10th, Prince Hitachi attended the 55th Nemunoki and Takagi Prize Awards Ceremony at the Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo.

AP Images

[Prisma]

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

[Prisma]

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

[Prisma]

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

[iceflower]

Princess Hanako attended the awards ceremony for the winners of the 33rd Praemium Imperiale in Tokyo today, October 19:


** anp gallery ** tt.se gallery ** rex gallery **

[Prisma]

Thanks, iceflower!

It's good to see Princess Hanako again. Videos of the 33rd Praemium Imperiale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOZJS1Ddx78

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze4wYoQIAM8

[Prisma]

On October 28th, Prince Hitachi attended the Dainippon Silk Foundation 2022 commendation ceremony at the Imperial Hotel in Chiyoda, Tokyo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L7EJDh6QZI

[iceflower]

Today, November 9, Prince Hitachi attended an award ceremony in Tokyo for those working with disabled children:


** tt.se gallery **

[MarieAmelie_95]

On November 30, Princess Hitachi (Hanako) attended the 55th anniversary ceremony of the Japan Ikebana Art Association, of which she is honorary president. The Japan Ikebana Art Association was founded in 1966 and Princess Hitachi (Hanako) has been honorary president since 1992

Sources:
Article and images on Topics
Article and images on NKT-TV
Article and images on 日テレNEWS

[Prisma]

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)

[MarieAmelie_95]

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

[MarieAmelie_95]

Good morning. Does it also seem to you that Princess Hitachi is more fragile? Or is it just my impression?

[MarieAmelie_95]

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.

[Prisma]

Originally Posted by MarieAmelie_95

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.

-----

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!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBxRlEooC1I

[MarieAmelie_95]

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