Book on C. Prince Akishino, ripples in all directions, review restrictions
On May 11, a unique book compiling a series of interviews with Crown Prince Akishino over the course of several years was released in Japan. The book, with the slogan "Before being a member of the Imperial Family, one is a human being," written on its obi sash, has caused a stir in various quarters. This book is "Akishino no Miya" (Shogakukan). Journalist Keiji Emori, former Mainichi Shimbun reporter on the Imperial Household, conducted a total of 37 face-to-face interviews with Akishino over a period of 4 years and 7 months from June 2017 to January 2020. The interviews began the month after the news broke that Akishino no Mako, Akishino's eldest daughter, was inofficially engaged to Kei Komuro, and the book describes Akishino's true feelings as a father from then until their marriage in October of last year. According to the book, Akishino's discomfort with the Komuro family was triggered by the Komuro mother and son's response t