The Imperial Household

[Prisma]

FOCUS: Japan's imperial family eyeing social media to stay in touch - Kyodo News

Shunning social media, Japan's imperial family has long been reluctant to open up about the daily lives of its members, but the year 2023 could be a turning point with the agency in charge of the family's affairs set to explore the potential use of social media platforms as part of a new approach to public relations.

With experts in agreement that an overhaul by the Imperial Household Agency of its communication style, including giving increased exposure to the family, is long overdue, the agency said in late December that it will set up a formal public relations office in April after its budget request to hire more staff was approved by the Cabinet.

[...]

Some conservatives in Japan are opposed to shining more of a light on the lives of imperial family members and bringing the emperor, once deemed a god, too close to the people. Under the Constitution, his role is defined as being "the symbol of the state and the unity of the people of Japan."

[...]

But Yohei Mori, a professor of media history at Seijo University with expertise in imperial family matters, says the agency's manner of communicating with the public "remains at the level of the first half of the 20th Century" in an age increasingly dominated by social media.

He said the agency believes people will fully and immediately understand if it communicates the right information in the right way and does not take into account the fact that there are always people who will not understand or will misinterpret it.

"Just shifting output channels to social media won't change anything," Mori said.

The family and the agency need to start repeating key messages so that more people can understand what they want to say, a style that has become more common with the spread of social media, he argued.

Naotaka Kimizuka, a professor of British political and diplomatic history at Kanto Gakuin University who has written books about the British royal family, agreed that the Japanese imperial family should have started utilizing social media long ago, especially earlier in the pandemic when people could not go outside.

He stressed the family should "even go as far as expanding their official duties" so they have more to communicate about to the public, calling them important figures in society who are capable of highlighting various issues.

The dearth of communication has apparently not worked in favor of the imperial family, as seen especially in the way Japan's tabloid magazines have covered the scandal involving former Princess Mako and her husband Kei Komuro.

[...]

The imperial family and the agency chose not to refute the reports even though they were considered libelous, saying that calling out one report would make others appear true.

[...]

Kimizuka warned that Japan's imperial family, already distant from the public and dwindling in number with fewer successors, could "disappear quickly" unless they establish themselves in people's consciousness through social media.

[...]

But better communication through social media could be a way to mend such a divide, he said, adding the agency and the family need to drop efforts to convey only the "right" image.

"People are talking about imperial family members as they like, even though they don't know what the members are actually thinking," Mori said. "The family members should show themselves from different angles" and show their human sides more to gain people's empathy.

Agency to beef up online PR activities for imperial family | The Asahi Shimbun

The Imperial Household Agency will establish a public affairs office in April to handle online information about the imperial family in a way that will prevent defamatory comments in social and other media.

About 10 individuals will be assigned to the office that will mainly deal with posting information on the agency’s website about the activities of imperial family members.

[...]

The revamped website will provide more detailed accounts of their activities, including the posting of photos and videos in a timely manner after an event, according to high-ranking agency members.

The work on the new website will be the first step toward providing more information to help make imperial family members more familiar to the general public.

[...]

The hope is that transmitting more accurate information about imperial family members will lead to a decrease in baseless reports or postings.

While members of royal families abroad have their own social media accounts, agency officials said there was a greater hurdle in Japan in allowing imperial family members to take such a step.

[Prisma]

On March 24th, the Cabinet decided Junichi Ihara (66) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be Grand Master of the Ceremonies at the Imperial Household Agency, replacing Yoshitaka Akimoto (70) from April 1.

Junichi Ihara was born on April 18, 1956 and graduated from Kyoto University. He entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1979. He received French training and served as interpreter for then-Crown Prince Akihito in Africa. Other roles included the consulate in Los Angeles. He became Director-General of the North American Bureau. After serving as Director of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau and Ambassador to the Permanent Mission of Geneva to International Organizations, he served as Ambassador to France, Andorra and Monaco.

Yoshitaka Akimoto was former ambassador to Australia. He has served as Grand Master for about 8 years, from May 2015 and oversaw accession ceremonies from Heisei to Reiwa. Akimoto was born on January 1, 1953, graduated from University of Tokyo in 1977 and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that April. He received training in Russian and had diplomatic roles in UK, Russia, Indonesia. Other positions included Director of Eastern Europe Division, European and Asian Affairs Bureau, Director of Policy Division, Economic Cooperation Bureau, and Director-General for Africa, Middle East and Africa Department.

Sources, photos: NTV, Nikkei, Jiji

Junichi Ihara Japan Wikipedia 伊原純一
Yoshitaka Akimoto Japan Wikipedia 秋元義孝

Organization and Functions of the Imperial Household Agency - The Imperial Household Agency

Board of the Ceremonies
The Board is headed by the Grand Master of the Ceremonies. One of the two Vice-Grand Masters of the Ceremonies is responsible for ceremonies, music and wild-duck netting. The Board's Music Department performs both Gagaku, i.e. ancient court music, and the western classical music. The other Vice-Grand Master of the Ceremonies is responsible for the Imperial Family's activities concerning fostering friendly relationship with foreign countries, such as Their Majesties' State visits to foreign countries and various court functions held for visiting foreign dignitaries.

The Grand Master is often seen leading Imperial family into and from ceremonies, see screenshots of Yoshitaka Akimoto:

[Prisma]

Imperial Household Agency personnel news on March 31.

Resignation: Koyama Nagaki, Secretariat Division, Imperial Family economic supervisor

Retirements: Nomura Yoshifumi, Archives Division, Director-General
Sakai Takayuki, Administration Division, Director-General

Source: Sankei

[Prisma]

On April 1st, Maiko Fujiwara (44) was appointed director of the Imperial Household Agency’s new Public Relations Office. The team is currently setup with 9 people, including Fujiwara, and a 10th person will recruited from the private sector by the end of the fiscal year.

Personnel:
- Fujiwara
- 5 people from the existing press office (which had 15 members)
- 3 new staff
- the future private sector hire aims to strengthen information dissemination from the "citizen's perspective"

Roles include "Public affairs specialists" who are in charge of dealing with magazines, Internet media, and inappropriate publications that damage the honor of the Imperial Family, and "public relations promotion specialists" who are responsible for building public relations systems within the agency in addition to public relations work.

The immediate task for the new PR office is to revamp the IHA website, which was established in 1999, and has not been updated significantly since 2009. About 3.5 million yen was appropriated from the FY2023 budget for research and analysis work. Using SNS remains cautious and undecided.

The old press office will specialize in responding to press club coverage, according to TBS

Fuijiwara background
- graduated from Kyoto University
- joined National Policy Agency in 2002
- head of the 2nd Investigative Division of the Ibaraki Prefectural Police and the manager of the Organized Crime Countermeasures General Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department
- head of Economic Security Office of the Foreign Affairs Division of the National Policy Agency, newly established last year
- has experience in disseminating information to business operators and other external parties as head of Economic Security Office

Sources: NHK, Sankei, Asahi, Mainichi

Imperial Household Agency Launches Public Relations Office - The Japan News

[...]

The new office will employ a person from the private sector with extensive experience in public relations and explore ways of communicating information that brings the Imperial Household closer to the public.

The public relations office was established within the General Affairs Division and has nine staff members. A career bureaucrat in the National Police Agency was appointed as the first head of the office.

According to sources close to the agency, the office plans to add the person from the private sector and adopt private-sector methods by around summer.

[...]

The agency will also consider ways of providing information through social media, but will be cautious when it comes to information dispersed directly from Imperial family members.

“We will try to provide information on the activities and personalities of the members of the Imperial family in a more substantial and timely manner than before,” Yasuhiko Nishimura, the grand steward of the agency, said at a regular press conference on March 23.

Japan's imperial agency launches public relations office - Kyodo News

Japan's Imperial Household Agency on Saturday established a formal press relations office to revamp its public outreach.

[...]

The new office is expected to freshen its staid website, which has been the agency's only direct interface with the public, and consider other options, including using social media, to proactively share information about the imperial family.

Led by Maiko Fujiwara, 44, who formerly worked at the National Police Agency, the office can have up to 10 people. It will first start with nine, one of whom was hired from the private sector.

"We would like to ensure giving in a timely manner a fuller picture than in the past about imperial members' activities and personalities," Yasuhiko Nishimura, the head of the agency, has said.

A senior official at the agency has said that "proactively giving correct information would help counter bashing" of the imperial family, although it remains wary to introduce social media, fearing direct posts by imperial family members may prompt unexpected reactions.

[...]

The crown prince also did not rule out the possibility of imperial family members turning to social media during a press conference before his birthday last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qA21y_Ftjc

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I'm pleasantly surprised the agency (or government, Cabinet?) appointed a woman and under 50...

[Prisma]

The thunderstorm during the May 11 garden party revealed problems. Grand Steward Yasuhiko Nishimura said, "there are many points that should be reflected [on]" and intends to make improvements, trying to avoid such problems at the next garden party.

Points such as:
- problems with time management
- not considering how to respond to thunderstorms
- event extended by about an hour and many people waited while getting wet

Source: TBS

[Prisma]

The Imperial Household Agency's Japanese website has a new section where the new PR office has been posting more information about events.



For example, the state visit to Indonesia features bigger photos and links to schedule and daily details: https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/about/gok...ndonesia1.html

[doro]

They should update their website. My opinion

[Prisma]

Imperial Household Agency's budget request for fiscal year 2024

6.6 billion yen: Imperial Family expenses which are used for the activities of the Emperor, Imperial family members, property management, etc.
12 billion yen: Imperial Household Agency expenses for operating the agency

FY2024 Total: about 18.5 billion yen

Some details:
- No budget for Princess Aiko's tiara based on the wishes of Their Majesties and Princess Aiko due to impact of pandemic and inflation
- 2,578,000 yen for Prince Hisahito’s "kanmuri" cap for coming-of-age
- 47 million yen for the demolition of the temporary office building used by Akishino family staff
- No budget for Akishino residence annex where Princess Kako lives
- 264 million yen for Outer Court "Imperial family expenses" (aka Akishino, Hitachi, Mikasa, Takamado)

NOTE: Emperor Naruhito's family and Emeritus couple are Inner Court so their expenses are separate.

Prince Hisahito will become an adult (18) in September 2024. The budget request includes 2.6 million Yen in production costs for his "kanmuri" (traditional Japanese lacquer-coated cap) for the Kakan-no-Gi (Crown Wearing) during an Imperial prince's coming-of-age events. Reusing his father's clothing is under consideration. The Imperial family will bear the cost of Prince Hisahito's coming-of-age ceremony clothing.

As a minor, Prince Hisahito receives 3.05 million yen annually for his expenses. That allowance will become 9.15 million yen as an adult.

Since Prince Hisahito will be a 3rd year high school student in 2024, his coming-of-age ceremony will be delayed to spring 2025 after he graduates. It will be the first time in 39 years for a prince to come of age.

Sources: NTV, FNN, Sankei

Japan officially lowered the age of adulthood from 20 to 18 on April 1, 2022 which is why Princess Aiko still became an adult at 20.

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Criticism of the Akishino family will increase. Looks bad when Aiko's borrowing Aunt Sayako's tiara to reduce costs whereas Hisahito's cap will be covered.

ETA: Continued from 2022, the budget request included 33 million yen in renovation and design costs for the Imperial Household Agency building where Princess Nobuko lives per https://txbiz.tv-tokyo.co.jp/txn/news_txn/post_281053

ETA: FNN's social department / IHA reporter says "the Imperial Household Agency would like to finance Princess Aiko's tiara someday but adheres to the wishes of the Emperor's family to refrain again."

ETA: To strengthen the Emeritus couple's medical team, their staff will increase by 1 from 4 to 5 court physicians per https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_soc...000313707.html

[Prisma]

The Imperial Household Agency says do not compare "kanmuri" and tiara.

The "kanmuri" is always made new because there is a ceremony where the Emperor bestows it as proof of a prince's coming of age, but the tiara for a princess is an ornament used in situations where formal attire is required. They have different meanings and are not comparable."

Source: NHK

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Japan’s Prince Hisahito’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony to be Held in Spring 2025 or Later - The Japan News

[...]

The prince will turn 18 on Sept. 6 next year and become an adult member of the Imperial family. The agency has included ¥2.578 million in its budget request for fiscal 2024 to cover the cost of making a crown, which will be presented by the Emperor to the prince.

The Coming of Age Kakan-no-Gi (Crown Wearing) Ceremony is one of the events held for men in the Imperial family when they come of age and wear a crown for the first time.

[...]

Prince Hisahito will be considered an adult when he turns 18 in September 2024, following the revision of the Civil Code in 2022. As he will still be in high school at that time, it was decided to delay the ceremony so as not to affect his studies.

The agency said Prince Hisahito will wear the traditional clothes Crown Prince Akishino wore during his coming-of-age ceremony.

[...]

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This 2021 English article describes the allowances.

[...]

Daily life expenses for Imperial family members are covered by the government. The allowances for the everyday expenses of the Emperor and Empress and their daughter Princess Aiko, plus the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita, are called “naiteihi” (expenses for inner court members), while the allowances for other Imperial family members are called “kozokuhi” (expenses for Imperial family members). The amounts are set under the Imperial House Economy Law. Once they are paid, the allowances, called “otemotokin,” can be used freely.

The total naiteihi budget is ¥324 million a year, and about a third of the money is used for private court rituals.

The kozokuhi allowance is calculated in units of ¥30.5 million per person annually, and the amount varies depending on the position of the Imperial family member. For example, the kozokuhi is ¥91.5 million, three times the basic amount, for Crown Prince Akishino, who is first in line to the throne.

The head of an Imperial family branch is paid ¥30.5 million and each adult shinno prince and naishinno princess who do not have independent functions receive 30% of the fixed amount.

Naishinno Princess Mako received ¥3.05 million a year when she was a minor and ¥9.15 million a year after she reached adulthood.

The Imperial family allowances are paid twice a year, in April and October, for each family branch, and it is up to each branch to decide how to distribute the money.

[...]

Example of Outer Court expenses for 2021 before Mako married:
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/wp-c...2344700680.jpg

ETA: added link to English article

[Tatiana Maria]

The 2021 English article seems very useful. Do you have a link to it?

Originally Posted by Prisma

Criticism of the Akishino family will increase. Looks bad when Aiko's borrowing Aunt Sayako's tiara to reduce costs whereas Hisahito's cap will be covered.

Thank you for sharing Japanese reactions to the news. Is the criticism really fair? In addition to what the IHA said about tiaras being mere ornaments, Hisahito is a future emperor who will spend his life on the public payroll anyway, whereas Aiko will most likely become a private citizen one day.

And thank you for your fantastic coverage and all the information you posted!

[Prisma]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

The 2021 English article seems very useful. Do you have a link to it?

Oops, I forgot the link: https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/soci...0211026-27655/
Thanks for asking! I also fixed my post above.

IHA's Japanese kouzokuhi PDF still has 2023 expenses for now: https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/kunaicho/.../kouzokuhi.pdf

30.5 million yen base and how the amounts are calculated per Imperial member, independent vs dependent, spouses, Naishinno princess vs Joo princess, etc.

Until Akishino became crown prince, he received 30.5 million yen as head of an Imperial branch.

IHA Budgetary Matters in English isn't as detailed: https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e-kunaicho/yosan.html

IHA Budgetary Matters in Japanese has links to previous years. I haven't researched in depth yet.
https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/kunaicho/kunaicho/yosan.html

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

[...]

Thank you for sharing Japanese reactions to the news. Is the criticism really fair? In addition to what the IHA said about tiaras being mere ornaments, Hisahito is a future emperor who will spend his life on the public payroll anyway, whereas Aiko will most likely become a private citizen one day.

And thank you for your fantastic coverage and all the information you posted!

You're very welcome! While I understand the IHA reason and tradition, the optics isn't great and the Akishino have plenty of negative press already. Also, modernizing traditions should be considered.

I concede a princess's coming-of-age is a recent tradition only ~30 years old, it started with Sayako. A female's adulthood was celebrated privately before.

Princesses could be on public payroll for life if they remain unmarried. Until Hisahito starts attending court rituals as crown prince or an enthronement, I don't see the kanmuri being used beyond his coming-of-age ceremony in the short term. Females have more opportunities to wear their jewels.

[Prisma]

On September 12th, the Imperial Household Agency signed a contract, worth 46.75 million yen with a major general contractor for additional construction on the Akishino branch office (annex) where Princess Kako lives. Work to change floor plan and create a duty room for staff will be carried out during Kako's official visit to Peru in November.

The branch office underwent renovation last year, such as relocating built-in furniture. 5 new buildings are currently under construction for 474 million yen, including a warehouse for the Akishino residence. Cost of updating the Akishino residence has exceeded 5 billion yen.

Source: https://txbiz.tv-tokyo.co.jp/txn/news_txn/post_282107

Why was furniture built-in? Seems a poor decision for a temporary residence.

[Prisma]

Grand Steward Yasuhiko Nishimura addressed 3 topics at the IHA regular press conference on November 22.

1. high cost of Akishino residence renovations (over 3 billion yen)

- the IHA has discussed the issue piecemeal but Nishimura wanted to summarize and explain again. It is his decision this time and he notified Crown Prince Akishino in advance.
- Akishino residence has not undergone large-scale renovation since its completion in 1972 as the Chichibu residence
- around 2006, IHA told Prince Akishino the former Chichibu part of his residence needed renovation but he requested older residences be renovated first. Thus, the Takamado residence was renovated.
- IHA approached Prince Akishino about renovations in 2011 but he refrained again, citing the Great East Japan Earthquake
- Around 2015, the Akishino residence's aging infrastructure was reaching its limits, i.e. - pipes were leaking, etc.
- the main purpose was to improve work environment for staff as the prince’s household quadrupled since he became Crown Prince
- total floor area increased by 1.93x but approximately 66% is used for administrative purposes. Private area has hardly increased.
- the work was carried out at the discretion of the IHA and high costs arose due to construction delays amid the pandemic and infection prevention measures
- IHA received various proposals from the Akishino couple to reduce costs such as not creating a private room for Princess Kako
- Nishimura is very saddened that he was unable to fulfill the Akishino couple's request to reduce costs
- It is unusual for the grand steward to give an explanation ahead of Crown Prince Akishino's birthday press conference (which will be released November 30)
- Nishimura spoke on the renovations for some 5 minutes. Nothing new revealed

Sources: TBS, Asahi, TV-Asahi

2. Email forwarding mistake

Nishimura responded to weekly magazine reports he mistakenly forwarded an email exchange between himself and Princess Nobuko to the wrong IHA staff member. While he did not disclose details, Nishimura admitted his mistake, saying "It is extremely regrettable, and I am remorseful. I will take appropriate measures in accordance with our security policy to prevent this from happening in the future." There is no leak to the outside.

Weekly magazines such as News-Postseven allege the incident happened in the summer during preparations for Princess Nobuko's visit to Hungary. The email exchange between Grand Steward Nishimura and Princess Nobuko was about her request regarding accompanying medical staff, containing information about her health condition and a high degree of privacy.

Sources: TBS, Asahi

3. Imperial succession

Nishimura reiterated issues with succession and impact of activities due to decreasing Imperial family members but stated "I am not in a position to interfere" as the government panel begins discussions on 2 options. There's no timeline for conclusion. So far, Nishimura has not been requested to participate or receive information.

Source: TBS