This is, what, the third or fourth time that Prince Hisahito is accused of benefiting from special treatment in his educational career? If there is no truth to these recurring allegations, then why hasn't the Imperial Household Agency been more effectual in refuting them? (Apologies for forgetting the specifics, but I remember their response to one of the previous accusations being rather wishy-washy.) And if there is a grain of truth to those allegations, then why haven't the prince, his parents, and the IHA started firmly insisting that teachers, awards and admissions committees, et al treat him like everybody else?
Third accusation, I believe.
- Ochanomizu University school system via his mother's connections. Kiko received her Ph.D. from the university.
- Senior High School at Otsuka, University of Tsukuba via recommendation system
- now University of Tokyo
Jprime article reported the online position against Prince Hisahito launched on August 10 and gathered some 10,000 signatures by publication on August 27. The prince's participation at International Entomological Congress (ICE 2024) was unusual and seen as a stepping stone for the recommendation system, which requires 80% or higher on the common test along with documentation on results and achievements.
Jprime asked the IHA and former IHA employee Shinji Yamashita about the controversy.
- Imperial Household Agency declined to comment on online petitions
- Yamashita says the agency bears responsibility surrounding Prince Hisahito. "I feel that the Imperial Household Agency has not fulfilled its responsibility to explain the Akishino family. The Imperial Household Agency is the ministry that acts as a bridge between the Imperial Family and the public, so while it respects the feelings of the members of the Imperial Family, it has a responsibility to provide explanations that the public can accept. Explanations that raise doubts will only give rise to speculation that there is something ulterior motive behind it, and I believe that such speculation is what invites criticism."
- Yamashita offered his opinion on the matter, "Prince Hisahito is in a special position, unlike ordinary people. He cannot live in a society that values academic credentials like ordinary people, so the perception that his admission to University of Tokyo is unfair is misguided. What's important is whether he can conduct research in a quiet environment. At the same time, it's not good for him to compete with ordinary people in entrance exams. There would be no problem if the university responded by saying, 'We've granted him special admission, separate from the general admission quota."
Based on the prince's interests, Jprime contacted a source at the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Agriculture, who shared:
- "It's hard to imagine the future emperor enrolling at our school."
- "Firstly, the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Agriculture is facing one of the greatest financial difficulties on campus. As a result, the paint on the school buildings built before the war is peeling and the pipes are exposed. There are also concerns about their earthquake resistance. I heard that the high school attached to the University of Tsukuba, where Prince Hisahito currently attends, underwent major renovations prior to his enrollment. At the moment, there are no such moves at the Faculty of Agriculture, so I think the possibility is low."
- "... Prince Hisahito published a paper on dragonflies last year. I imagine that he has been interested in dragonflies since childhood and would like to study them at university, but there is no authority on dragonflies at the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Agriculture who could provide guidance to Prince Hisahito. In other words, I cannot say for sure that Prince Hisahito is suitable to study there."
There have been petitions against Imperial family before. In 2011, businesswoman and entertainer Dewi Sukarno started a petition to have succession go to Akishino instead of Naruhito. The Crown Prince family was in crisis at the time due to Crown Princess Masako's poor health and absence from duties, while Princess Aiko had her own difficulties attending school. Sukarno declared Masako's behavior was "inappropriate for a Crown Princess."
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My thoughts: certainly, being a published author of academic papers as a teenager is a big advantage... but also, the public doesn't have access to Imperial properties for studying insects. If anyone's going to write about such a topic, that person will be an Imperial family member.
The IHA remains ineffective at PR and slow. The agency used Prince Hisahito's birthday to address the controversy when there were opportunities at the IHA and Crown Prince Household weekly press conferences since August. Perhaps concern about backfire? Further explanations by the Akishino couple and Grand Steward didn't do much to gain understanding on the residence/Kako's living situation.
On a side note, coming from the bias of mostly reading comments from English-speaking royal watchers, it is interesting to me that Hisahito has received a great deal of criticism despite being the clear future emperor and until just now a minor, since royal watchers in the Anglosphere tend to be softer on main-line than junior royals, softer on younger than older royals, and especially soft on young main-line royals.
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I agree. Princess Aiko received much speculation and criticism when she was younger from magazines.
So, will his allowance also only be tripled after the coming of age ceremony or will he start receiving a higher allowance from today?
Asahi says the increase starts this month, when he turns 18. Last year, the Akishino family allowance totaled 118.95 million yen.
Bottom half of this
2021 Yomiuri article (English) says the payment is split: "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."
More about the dance competition on June 16.
