Summary of Mako&Komuro Problem

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 The Largest Scandal of Japanese IF

The engagement between Princess Mako of Akishino and Kei Komuro is still pending for now. The future of their marriage is not seen at all.

 It is said that this is the largest scandal in the history of the Japanese imperial family.

Many foreign friends ask me "Why should their marriage be delayed?"

For readers’ convenience, let me summarize the situation from the beginning.
It contains some speculations, but it is commonly believed in Japan.


Time Line of Mako&Komuro Problem


First, their informal engagement was announced in Sep. 2017.
(Notice: they are still ‘informal fiancés’ so far, not official ones.)
The informal engagement was permitted by Emperor of the time Akihito, current Emperor Emeritus.

Few months later, in the end of 2017, Komuro’s debt problem was reported.

(See here for the summary of his debt problem.)

and IHA postponed the procedure of official engagement in Feb.2018.
As you said, there is no regulation to forbid or condition princess’s marriage, however it was unprecedented that princess’s prosecutive fiancé has scandal, they seemed to be afraid of criticism from the public.

Afterward, more and more scandals were reported on Komuro.

(See here for the list of his reported scandals.)

In summer of 2018, Komuro went to US to study law. Since his university’s fee was so expensive and it’s not common that a person who doesn’t have experience nor certification as a lawyer is admitted by the univ., there was speculations that Crown Prince Akishino, Mako's father, and his wife Crown Princess Kiko sent him to US. 

Around this time, it was reported that Mr. and Mrs. Akishino had told Kei Komuro and his mother that "a formal engagement cannot be made as it is now." It is because he thinks that Kei is not in a state of being widely blessed by the people as a royal family.

Mr. and Mrs.Akishino intended to make Mako to give up their marriage, according to the speculation, but the two didn’t give it up. They could chat on internet, it was unexpected by their parents. Nor, the public didn’t forget them, media kept reporting new scandals of Komuro. (At the same time, his English recording of interview appeared on the University’s website, and his paper got prize, but few people trusted them.)

 2 years later, in Nov. 2020, Mako announced a comment that she is going to marry Komuro, it is necessary choice for them.

And in the end of the month, Akishino said he would allow them to be get married for freedom of marriage is secured by the constitution.

But the public’s response was so unfavorable. So, IHA Secretary said Komuro is required to give explanation on his financial problem in Dec.2020.
Emperor Naruhito commented on this issue and said he wish many people are convinced and satisfied in Feb. of 2021.

(See here for the word of Emperor.)

Komuro responded the request from IHAS in 8th of April 2021 with his 28-page document.

The full text of his document is here: #1 #2 #3 #4

But because this document was all about denial of debt, excuses and attacks to his counterpart of the 'finance problem', backlash from the public was so strong that 4 days later, Komuro turned his mind and announced to pay settlement money to his counterpart of the financial problem. But until now, it was not implemented.

At the same time, Mako's reputation was also badly damaged, because in the press conference Kaji revealed that it was Mako's intention for Komuro to deny the debt and not pay the settlement.

On May 23, Komuro graduated from Fordham University School of Law. He is expected to take the NY State Bar Exam afterwards, but before and after that, there are different views on whether he will return to Japan.

What is the Reason for Delay?


This is the whole story. Nearly 4 years have already passed since the first announcement of the informal engagement, and there are 5 major factors that have prolonged this issue.

 1) There have been so many scandals involving Kei Komuro and his mother that the public has developed a dislike for their dishonest and greedy personalities. Although only the debt problem has been highlighted, in reality there are numerous other scandals.

In particular, his alleged relationship with gangsters is fatal to public sentiment. (However, this matter has never appeared in the English language newspapers.

For a list of Komuro's scandals, click here.

 

(2) The lump-sum payment to be made in connection with Mako's marriage and withdrawal from the imperial family is about 150 million yen (some $1.37 M), which is expected to be used to pay off Komuro's debts. In addition, a large amount of taxpayers' money will be spent on the engagement and the marriage, including the idea of 'female monarchy', which has led to protests that "we don't want even a single yen of our tax money to be spent on this marriage and Komuro.

The lump-sum payment will be detailed in another article.

'Female monarchy' will be detailed in another article.

 

3) For Japanese people, the sense of "clean and dirty" is of utmost importance, and this is especially true for the Imperial Family. Japanese people cannot stand the idea of the Imperial Family being associated with "dirty" things. Moreover, since the Constitution of Japan states that "the Emperor is a symbol of the unity of the people," neither the Imperial Household Agency nor the Emperor can ignore the feelings of the people.

4 opinion polls have been ever conducted on this matter. For the results of opinion polls, see here.

 

4) That Kei Komuro is not employed and has no stable income. (That even after the announcement of the engagement offer, he has postponed finding a job by quitting the law firm where he was working as a paralegal and enrolling in Fordham University.

Mako claims to be free to marry, but she herself does not have the skills to get a regular job, and it looks like she will need help from the Imperial Family after their marriage.

 

5) It was the former Emperor Akihito who approved the engagement proposal, and he is no longer in the position of Emperor. At 87, Akihito is now in the early stages of dementia, and there is little hope that he will be able to reverse the decision.


However, some are wondering why Akishino and the Imperial Household Agency have been so slow to respond, and why they can't make a bold decision. So there is a view that Mako And Komuro hold some secrets of Akishino family.


There may be more changes of situation in the future, I'll add them each time.

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