Constitution of Japan guarantees that
marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes. But a royal
wedding cannot be decided in that way, requiring mutual consent of Royal
Family, Stewards and the public. Princess Mako of Akishino announced that she
would postpone the wedding with her college classmate Kei Komuro for two years.
While the couple explains the reason to be lack of enough time for preparation,
most people in Japan know that money scandal of Komuro’s mother have affected.
Mako released a letter that described
“sentiment of the two” on Tuesday. “With consideration of those things and
accumulated consultation with both parents and related people, we reached a
decision that we would be better to postpone our wedding and related rituals to
two years later, when a series of coming events important for Royal Family will
be completed, and take enough time for necessary preparation,” said Mako in the
letter. So, what did she mean by “consideration of those things?”
The engagement of the couple was brought as
a breaking news of Japan Broadcasting Corporation, or NHK, last May. “Last May,
a news report of our wedding was brought in an unexpected timing. Although we
were confused by that, we decided to announce our engagement far earlier than we
had expected with consideration of not to continue that obscure situation,”
said Mako. She realized that they had been too hastened. “We only reflect on
our immatureness,” told Mako.
True reason can be found in a report of a
weekly magazine last December. Weekly Woman revealed a story that Komuro’s
mother Kayo owed ¥4 million of debt to a man with close relationship. A single
mother Kayo received money from the man for Komuro’s college tuition or his
studying abroad. After she had engagement with the man, Kayo requested further
support every month. Tired of being requested financial support, the man came
to a decision to cancel his engagement with Kayo. Gossip magazines predicted
some change in the wedding plan of her son.
Mako did not refer to the scandal in her
letter. “Wedding is the matter of the two,” told Grand Steward of Imperial
Household Agency Shin-ichi Ymamoto in his press conference last month, ”and I
have nothing to say about the information of weekly magazines.” Mako keeps her
standpoint that she maintains the engagement. But there is no guarantee for that.
The decision of postponement was brought
after consecutive consultation among Emperor, Empress, parents of Mako and
Stewards of IHA. Scandal of Komuro may leave a stain in Imperial events of Emperor’s
abdication and enthronement of new Emperor next year. Status of female royal family
is one of the greatest talking points on discussion over Imperial system. Everything
can happen in next two years before the wedding.
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