Princess Aiko’s Entry into the Workforce Sparks Battle Over Solo Public Duties

It had been 10 years since the first visit to Ise Jingu Shrine. Perhaps unable to contain her rising emotions, Aiko, 22, the eldest daughter of the Emperor, got off at Kintetsu Toba Station and smiled like a little girl when she saw the faces of Katsuyuki Aimai, 61, governor of Mie Prefecture, and others who welcomed her.

Six days later, on April 1, Aiko showed her first smile at the entrance to the headquarters of the Japanese Red Cross Society.

She said, “I hope to quickly become accustomed to the workplace and do my best to be of service to everyone.

Dressed in a navy blue suit, Princess Aiko expressed her ambitions to the press upon joining the JRC. This is the first time in history that a child of the Emperor’s family has held a clerical position in the private sector. Her unpretentious personality has made her rapidly popular among the public.

She is assigned to the Youth and Volunteer Division, where her main task is to train volunteers.” At his coming-of-age press conference in 2010, he mentioned that a close friend of his was engaged in volunteer work in Fukushima Prefecture and expressed his interest in this field” (reporter for the Imperial Household Agency, a national newspaper).

The reason why JRC was chosen as a place of employment was “in anticipation of her future activities,” according to Shinji Yamashita, a commentator on the Imperial Household.

Of course, they must have taken into consideration the need for her to balance her official duties with her work. She will probably attend court events in the future, such as garden parties and the opening of poetry festivals, which she has been absent from in order to prioritize her academic work. What is attracting attention is when and what kind of official duties she will perform on her own for the first time.

It has been customary for female members of the Imperial Family to attend their first official duties in their teens. However, Princess Aiko has not yet performed her first official duties alone.

The publicity effect of being the daughter of an emperor is tremendous. All kinds of organizations are negotiating with various ministries and agencies in anticipation of Aiko’s arrival. On the other hand, female members of the Imperial Family other than the Empress are limited in the official duties they can perform, such as attending meetings of awareness-raising organizations, so the “ratio” is rising.

Which candidate will win the fierce competition? Mr. Yamashita, a former official of the Imperial Household Agency, continues.

At her coming-of-age press conference, Her Imperial Highness Princess Aiko said that she was attracted to “working animals,” probably because she has lived with shelter dogs since her childhood. We think that facilities and events related to guide dogs and therapy dogs would be a likely choice.”

Whatever her choice, Princess Aiko’s brightness and thoughtfulness should be conveyed to many people.

From the April 19, 2024 issue of FRIDAY