<figure id="attachment_166350" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166350"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="25d548ef"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--wOy5MGCJ--/t_article_image/v1614673161/aflo_60191719_jqldcj.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-166350" class="wp-caption-text">They were smiling at each other at their informal engagement press conference in September 2005. They are finally going to get married in October this year.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Their marriage in October has become a reality.</p>
<p>The newspapers are reporting that Princess Mako of the Akishino family (29) and Kei Komuro (29), who will return to Japan on September 27 from the U.S., where he is staying, are expected to submit their marriage registration soon.</p>
<p>The marriage of Kei&#8217;s mother Kayo (55) and her former fiancé was thought to have hit a dead end due to their financial troubles, but it seems that significant progress has finally been made ahead of Mako&#8217;s 30th birthday on October 23. What was the background to this?</p>
<p><strong> &#8220;In his birthday press conference in November 2006, Prince Akishino had often said, &#8220;We cannot hold the &#8216;Nousai Ceremony,&#8217; which is the so-called engagement ceremony, unless many people are satisfied and happy. With the troubles still unresolved, it would have been difficult for them to get married even next spring, let alone in October.</strong></p>
<p><strong> However, as has been reported, the couple will not be holding not only the &#8220;Nouai Ceremony&#8221; but also events such as the &#8220;Asami Ceremony&#8221; to express their gratitude to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress. Mako is also said to be declining the lump-sum payment of about 140 million yen that will be given to her upon her departure from the Imperial Family. By saying that her marriage to Kei is not related to the Imperial Family, the hurdle has been lowered.</strong></p>
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<p>It has been four years since Mako and Kei held their informal engagement press conference in September 2005. It has been four years since Mako and Kei held their informal engagement press conference in September 2005&#8230; A look back at the not-so-eventful lives of the two of them, with photos.</p>
<h2>The true face of the &#8220;Prince of the Sea&#8221; who won Princess Mako&#8217;s heart (May 2005)</h2>
<figure id="attachment_166336" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166336"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="783e2680"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--BN8snROI--/t_article_image/v1614670594/media2017-05-18-88_l_yvnrgj.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-166336" class="wp-caption-text">Kei is escorted to work by officials from the Imperial Household Agency. He is fluent in English and scored 950 on the TOEIC test when he was a student.</figcaption></figure>
<p>It was May 2005 when Princess Mako&#8217;s engagement was announced. At the time, the whole of Japan was in a celebratory mood.</p>
<p>Kei was a classmate of Mako&#8217;s at International Christian University (ICU). Kei, who has a fresh face, also devoted himself to another job while he was a student. In 2010, he entered a contest held by the city&#8217;s tourism association and won the title of &#8220;Prince of the Sea.</p>
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<p>The two met in June 2012. A year later, Kei proposed to her at the young age of 21. They dated in Yokohama and Shonan, and continued their relationship for five years.</p>
<p>At the time, Kei was living with her mother, Kayo, and her grandfather in an apartment in Yokohama City, and commuting to her workplace in Tokyo.</p>
<figure id="attachment_166353" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166353"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="69c35fd6"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--Ywjfkgk0--/t_article_image/v1614673954/media2017-05-18-89_l_linab6.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-166353" class="wp-caption-text">After the death of her husband, Kayo raised her son by herself. It was reported that she and Kei went to work together every morning.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_206624" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1024px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206624"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="9062e5cc"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--QiIn3lkM--/t_article_image/v1632299342/2017090300829_abkina.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206624" class="wp-caption-text">Kei and Kayo drive home after their engagement to Princess Mako was confirmed.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Behind the scenes of Princess Mako&#8217;s &#8220;painful decision&#8221; to postpone her marriage (February 2006)</h2>
<figure id="attachment_166356" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166356"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="86221132"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--_Bhj1vuK--/t_article_image/v1614674209/media2018-02-08-75_l_qbdlhb.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-166356" class="wp-caption-text">It is highly unusual for a wedding-related event of the Imperial Family to be postponed. Behind the postponement of the marriage was Kayo&#8217;s financial troubles, which were reported in some weekly magazines.</figcaption></figure>
<p>&#8220;The postponement of Kei and Mako&#8217;s marriage was announced in February 2006, citing &#8220;lack of preparation. Although there have been cases where marriage-related events have been postponed due to natural disasters or mourning, it was an unusual situation to stop all related ceremonies.</p>
<p>Behind the scenes, there was a circumstance that can only be described as &#8220;unheard of&#8221; for the Imperial Family. After the death of her husband in 2002, Kayo met a foreign trading company employee in his 60s through an acquaintance, and they became engaged.</p>
<p>During that period, Kayo received about 4 million yen in aid from the trading company man for Kei&#8217;s tuition fees and funds to study in the U.S., but the situation suddenly changed with the breakup. However, the situation suddenly changed when the couple broke up. When the man demanded a refund, Kayo insisted that the money had been given as a gift, leading to a quagmire of trouble.</p>
<p><strong> &#8220;Mako was so shocked by the news that she began to stay in her room more often than not. Even so, Mako&#8217;s feelings toward Mr. Komuro did not change. It took the Imperial Household Agency a long time to persuade her.</strong></p>
<p>It was around this time that dark clouds began to loom over their marriage.</p>
<figure id="attachment_166360" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166360"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="2570cfd0"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--Bn2bAyiv--/t_article_image/v1614675063/media2018-02-08-76_l_nexspm.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-166360" class="wp-caption-text">On the day when the postponement of the marriage was announced, Kei came out of the law office where he worked. He bowed deeply to the press.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_206661" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206661"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="b8280f68"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--qp6ZYr4G--/t_article_image/v1632300868/%E9%9B%BB%E8%BB%8A%E9%80%9A%E5%8B%A4_xdazqy.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206661" class="wp-caption-text">Kei commutes to work on the train with SP. None of the passengers noticed.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Kayo resumes her &#8220;part-time life&#8221; earning 120,000 yen a month (May 2006)</h2>
<figure id="attachment_6545" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6545"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="34d4f31c"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gsjebzejhjubm/image/private/s--6W7e93rZ--/t_article_image/v1538534620/media2018-04-19-48_l_zy8sz5.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-6545" class="wp-caption-text">Kayo changes into her work clothes and heads to the cake shop where she works part-time. She looks a little more tired than she did when she announced her engagement.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Two months after the sudden announcement of the postponement of their marriage. Two months after the sudden announcement of the postponement of their marriage, Kayo was seen in a shopping street in Meguro Ward, Tokyo. After about 50 minutes, she came out, changed into white work clothes, and walked quickly into a long-established cake shop across the street from her office. This cake shop is Kayo&#8217;s workplace.</p>
<p>This magazine interviewed Kayo directly after she left her workplace about the debt problem, but she only replied, &#8220;I&#8217;m sorry. She then ran off.</p>
<figure id="attachment_6546" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6546"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3f77ee43"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gsjebzejhjubm/image/private/s--xsYR2hSn--/t_article_image/v1538534615/media2018-04-19-47_l_yhcon8.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-6546" class="wp-caption-text">Kei is on her way to the lawyer&#8217;s office where she works as a paralegal. He is accompanied by an SP, and the monthly security fee is said to amount to about 5 million yen.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>I&#8217;ve got a direct shot at Kei!　&#8221;Who&#8217;s going to pay for me to study in the U.S.?&#8221; (July 2006)</h2>
<figure id="attachment_166367" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166367"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e39ceeb1"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--CmEAJcdm--/t_article_image/v1614678095/media2018-07-05-40_l_w5flel.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-166367" class="wp-caption-text">Kei and his mother, Kayo, arrive at work together. (July 2006) Kei and his mother, Kayo, arrive at work together. Kayo is wearing a bright light blue dress, as if she is in a good mood after deciding to study abroad.</figcaption></figure>
<p>While the fate of his marriage to Princess Mako is still undecided, Kei has announced that he will attend law school in the U.S. from August 2006, aiming to become a lawyer. With Kayo&#8217;s debt problem still unresolved, how will she pay for her study abroad program, which will cost no less than 20 million yen?　This happened in the midst of the growing public opposition to their marriage.</p>
<p>I asked Kei directly about the study abroad program as he was leaving for work, but he didn&#8217;t respond to any of my questions. He and Kayo walked quickly to the nearest station.</p>
<figure id="attachment_166368" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166368"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="899c01e5"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--SfYKweYI--/t_article_image/v1614678726/media2018-07-05-151_l_qkjfxc.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-166368" class="wp-caption-text">The two of them walked to work in close proximity. The announcement of Kayo&#8217;s study abroad before her financial troubles were cleared up was met with an outpouring of dissatisfaction from the public.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_166370" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166370"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="15bfed5b"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--mrAd-Y_g--/t_article_image/v1614678776/media2018-07-05-152_l_im7be4.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-166370" class="wp-caption-text">The two were escorted by SP. Since the huge security costs have been paid for by taxpayers, I think they have a responsibility to explain about studying abroad. &#8230;&#8230;</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_206653" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206653"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d38a3afc"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--0emGcVAb--/t_article_image/v1632300656/%E3%83%9E%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3%E4%BC%9A%E5%90%88_hk7nvk.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206653" class="wp-caption-text">Photo taken in July &#8217;18. Kei (far right) attends a meeting at her apartment. She seemed to be out of her mind and asked again, &#8220;Oh, I&#8217;m sorry. &#8230;&#8230;</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_206633" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1024px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206633"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5c5bf8b0"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--Usdzy0PY--/t_article_image/v1632299846/2018080701279_wf9po8.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206633" class="wp-caption-text">Kei is leaving for the United States.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Direct hit after the part! The meaning of the smile Kayo showed to this magazine (December 2008)</h2>
<figure id="attachment_153137" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2073px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153137"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="49734900"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--IqH2ooH6--/t_article_image/v1608615089/13-MOVIE__1205__27_ddnf1q.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-153137" class="wp-caption-text">Kayo&#8217;s smile was clearly visible even through her mask. I wonder if she was relieved that Kei&#8217;s marriage had moved forward.</figcaption></figure>
<p>With their marriage postponed, Kei is attending Fordham University School of Law in New York, and his financial base is precarious. The financial troubles between Kayo and her former fiancé have not been resolved.</p>
<p>However, in November 2008, Prince Akishino held a press conference prior to his birthday at the Akasaka East Residence and said that he &#8220;approves&#8221; of the marriage between his eldest daughter, Mako, and Kei. In addition, her former fiancé, Mr. A, also said that Kayo would not have to pay back her debt of 4 million yen. As a result, Mako and Kei&#8217;s marriage, which had been in the doldrums, began to show signs of taking a big step forward.</p>
<p>In early December, this magazine visited the confectionary store in question to ask about Kayo&#8217;s feelings. Just before 6:00 p.m., Kayo left the thriving store and went to the employee&#8217;s office. In less than five minutes, she changed into her casual clothes and came out. I called out to Kayo as she hurriedly walked toward the nearest station, but she remained silent.</p>
<p>However, when the reporter asked, &#8220;Does that mean you can&#8217;t say anything?&#8221; a rare expression appeared on her face. He smiled, which was clearly visible even through the mask, and bailed.</p>
<p>He then quickly returned to a blank expression and ignored the question again. Finally.</p>
<p><strong> &#8220;Thank you for your hard work.</strong></p>
<p>He said a few words and walked quickly into the crowd of people.</p>
<p>The smile on Kayo&#8217;s face, who had never shown any signs of weakness until now, was unintentional. Behind her smile, I could see that she could not hide her joy at the fact that Kei&#8217;s marriage had moved forward.</p>
<p>The marriage of Princess Mako and Kei has finally become a reality. I hope that they will start their happy newlywed life in a way that will satisfy the people.</p>
<figure id="attachment_153142" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1468px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153142"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="aa4e95e6"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--A_0K_yoE--/t_article_image/v1608615089/03-IMG_6480_fghklq.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-153142" class="wp-caption-text">On her way home from her part-time job at a confectionery store, Kayo went shopping at the supermarket. She bought radishes, horse mackerel, and cream croquettes.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_153143" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2211px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153143"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="61deca5a"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--R0SAdDMV--/t_article_image/v1608615408/MOVIE__1205__08_sf3l8q.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-153143" class="wp-caption-text">She was wearing a blue coat and a blue muffler, and had dyed her hair brown for a makeover.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_206642" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 709px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206642"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="1436411a"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--re0SeZ3P--/t_article_image/v1632300114/2020110800319_wsudx7.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206642" class="wp-caption-text">Noriko at the ceremony to announce her succession to the throne in November last year.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_206646" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1024px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206646"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d49fc90f"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--ZqCWcOw4--/t_article_image/v1632300251/2021081605016_bx2yn8.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206646" class="wp-caption-text">August of this year. Prince Akishino at the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics. IOC President Bach on the left.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_206797" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 5568px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206797"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7e101a50"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--abstPgpx--/t_article_image/v1632372673/6SH_3784_original_gpsbka.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206797" class="wp-caption-text">Princess Mako and her younger sister, Kako, enter the Imperial Palace on September 23, 2012.</figcaption></figure>


 Shinji Hasuo, Shinji Hamasaki, Takao Kawakami, Yasuko Sakaguchi, Toshikatsu Tanaka, Yasuko Funamoto, Keisuke Nishi

 Kyodo News Co.

 Their marriage is finally becoming a reality. Mako and Kei Komuro are scheduled to return to Japan on September 27. It has been four years since the unofficial engagement press conference in September 2005. Four years have passed since September 2005, when Kei's mother had financial troubles, and things have not been smooth. A look back with treasured photos.

To Marriage! Mako and Kei Komuro: “Four years of turmoil recalled in treasured photos

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