A little after 9:00 a.m. on October 18, Kei Komuro stepped into the Akasaka Imperial Palace for the first time in three years, and was said to be breathing deeply in the car on the way there.
<figure id="attachment_210963" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-210963" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="8249d66a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/10/2021100211568.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-210963" class="wp-caption-text"> The Akishino family, following the educational policy of Michiko, has had frequent family gatherings. Mako&#8217;s visit to the U.S. must have been sad&#8230; (Photo: 2004, Mako is third from right) Photo: Kyodo News</figcaption></figure>
 At his home in Yokohama, Mr. Komuro woke up in the early hours of the morning, put on the tie he had bought in New York, and got into a black one-box car prepared by the Imperial Household Agency.
 He said, &#8220;Good morning. I look forward to working with you.&#8221;
 Mr. Komuro bowed his head as he faced several police guards and Imperial Household Agency staff. Mr. Komuro had undergone several PCR tests in preparation for this day, and his temperature had been checked again in the car.
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 &#8220;Mako was in tears when she heard the sound of Komuro&#8217;s footsteps on the gravel as the car arrived at the Akasaka Imperial Palace. When Mako greeted Mr. Komuro, she turned to him and bowed. Mr. Komuro bowed deeply. It was a quiet reunion,&#8221; said a source at the Imperial Household Agency.
 The meeting took place not at the temporary residence of the Akishino family, but at the Akasaka Higashi Residence, which is used for events.
 &#8220;This is to prevent infectious diseases. This is to prevent infectious diseases, and that&#8217;s why he tried to keep his visits to a short time.
 Until the arrival of Prince and Princess Akishino, Ms. Komuro stood upright in the room and waited nervously. Soon, Akishino appeared in the room with a smile on his face, and Noriko followed behind him. Noriko, too, was in tears.
 &#8220;&#8216;Your hair has been done.
 His Imperial Highness Prince Akishino is said to have said this as he urged her to be seated. The official said that it was a kind gesture of appreciation for the three years of hard work she had put in in New York.
 Mr. Komuro reported on his studies and life in New York and his employment at a law firm.
 &#8220;As for my qualification as a lawyer, it will be announced by the end of this year, but I will pass.
 I&#8217;ll be able to pass the exam,&#8221; he said emphatically, indicating that his future work and living prospects had improved. He also explained about the living conditions of their eldest daughter, Mako, which worried the Akishino&#8217;s. Finally, he took the most time to explain about the troubles of her mother. Noriko, with a worried look on her face, nodded her head and stared at Komuro as he spoke.
 &#8220;Noriko nodded her head and stared at Komuro as he spoke. And since she is leaving the imperial family to become a private citizen, she must be very worried. Above all, she has been watching Mako for the past three years as she has been waiting for her. Noriko will continue to worry.
 From her parents&#8217; point of view, they can&#8217;t allow themselves to just go and see Mako. During the Heisei era, Prince Akishino and his family frequently ate with the Supreme Empress and spent time together in Nasu and Hayama, where they were on vacation. This was the Empress Superior&#8217;s educational policy. But Mako is going to America. I think this is really painful for her.
 Mr. Komuro&#8217;s stay lasted nearly four hours.
 &#8220;After Mr. Komuro spoke with Prince Akishino, he and Princess Mako apparently discussed preparations for the trip to the United States. The date for Mr. Komuro&#8217;s return to New York has not yet been officially decided. Perhaps the two of them are taking into consideration the birthday press conference of Prince Akishino. In any case. November In any case, they will probably go to the U.S. in late November,&#8221; said an official of the Imperial Household Agency.
 Prince Akishino&#8217;s birthday is on November 30. The press conference is usually recorded a few days before her birthday. The manuscript for the announcement is ready about 10 days before that, and His Highness spends many days polishing it.
 This spring, the Imperial Household Agency officially announced the marriage of Princess Mako. At that time.
 &#8220;I&#8217;m afraid that many people in Japan are not in a position to accept or be happy about their marriage.
 Prince Akishino, while sounding calm, made a harsh statement. But now it&#8217;s different.
 &#8220;When he studied at the Department of Zoology at Oxford University in England, he experienced homesickness. Now, as a father, he wants to recognize the perseverance of Mr. Komuro and Princess Mako, who worked hard alone in New York.
 The day after Mr. Komuro&#8217;s visit to the Akishino Palace, Princess Mako paid her respects at the Kenjo, the Imperial Reiden, and the temple dedicated to Amaterasu, one of the three halls of the Imperial Palace. In the future, she will visit and greet Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress and the Emperor and Empress.
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 His Imperial Highness Prince Akishino&#8217;s birthday press conference will be filled with heartwarming words of congratulations to the young couple. He is fulfilling his final responsibility as a parent to his daughter, who is getting married and leaving the nest. Mr. Komuro and Princess Mako must do everything in their power to be happy.

 Takashi Hashimoto

 On October 18, just after 9:00 a.m., Kei Komuro stepped into the Akasaka Imperial Palace for the first time in three years and breathed a deep sigh as he drove there. He woke up in the early hours of the morning at his home in Yokohama, put on a tie he bought in New York, and went to the Imperial Household Agency.

Mako and Kei Komuro’s “Three-Year Reunion” Was Shrouded in Silent Tears

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