His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince Naruhito (徳仁), Kōtaishi denka (皇太子殿下), (born at Togu Palace, Tokyo February 23, 1960) is the eldest son of His Majesty the Emperor Akihito and Her Majesty the Empress Michiko. Titled Prince Hiro (浩宮 Hiro-no-miya) as a child, he became heir apparent to the Japanese throne upon the death of his grandfather, the Emperor Showa (Hirohito), on January 7, 1989.
He received a bachelor's and master's degree in history from Gakushuin University in 1982 and 1988, respectively. In 1983 he studied in England at Merton College, Oxford.
The Crown Prince Naruhito and the Crown Princess Masako
On May 6, 1993, he married Masako Owada (b. December 9, 1963), a career diplomat in the Japanese Foreign Ministry and the daughter of Hisashi Owada, a Judge on the International Court of Justice, former vice minister for foreign affairs and former Japanese ambassador to the United Nations.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess have one child, Aiko (her official title is Toshi no miya, or Princess Toshi), born on December 1, 2001. The child's birth, which occurred more than eight years after her parents' marriage, has sparked lively debate in Japan about whether laws of succession should be changed to allow cognatic primogeniture, that is, to allow a woman to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne — this was possible in pre-modern Japan, but outlawed during the 19th century Meiji Restoration.
On January 24, 2005 the Japanese government announced that they would consider allowing the Crown Prince and Princess to adopt a male child, in order to avoid the possible heir crisis. The child would be adopted from former royal members who lost imperial titles after World War II. A government-appointed panel of experts is expected to submit a report later in 2005 regarding the feasibility of this plan.
