Japanese Imperial Family Today

    The couple, Mako and Kei Komuro, left Japan for New York, U.S.A. shortly after 10 a.m. on April 14.   The flight is scheduled to take about 12 hours and 40 minutes, and they are expected to arrive at the airport in New York around 11:00 pm Japan time tonight  (9:00 a.m. NYT 14) .   The two are expected to lead a new life together, with Kei working at a law firm in New York and aiming to pass the bar exam next February, while Mako supports him.

    On November 12, "direct negotiations" were held between Kei Komuro (30) and Mr. A, the former fiancée of Mr. Komuro's mother, Kayo, with whom he had a financial dispute. The two sides agreed on a settlement payment from Kei Komuro, and the trouble was settled. 　 Some media reported that at the meeting, Kei offered words of sympathy and apology to Mr. A, and that an amicable settlement had been reached.   On the 13th, Mr. A wrote an exclusive article for the weekly magazine "FRIDAY" in which he revealed the details of the negotiations. The following is the full text.  

    On the morning of November 14, Kei Komuro and Mako (both 30), the "much talked about royal couple", left their luxury apartment in Shibuya, Tokyo, where they were temporarily staying, under "full guard".   The couple left the apartment shortly after 8:00 a.m. in a black one-box car led by an SP vehicle. The windows of the car were covered with smoke, making it almost impossible to see what was going on inside.   Mako had visited her parents' residence in the afternoon of the 13th, the day before, and stayed there until 9:30 pm.   This means that Mako obtained a visa to stay in the U.S. as early as about two weeks after their marriage. This is a procedure that normally takes about two months, and because of Mako's complicated PTSD condition, it was thought to be difficult to obtain a US visa. The unusually quick turnaround has raised voices of "imperial privilege.