THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
October 1, 2021 at 17:50 JST
Kei Komuro and Princess Mako at the September 2017 news conference announcing their engagement (Pool)
Princess Mako, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, will marry her college sweetheart Kei Komuro on Oct. 26 after postponing their wedding for years.
Officials of the Imperial Household Agency announced details of the marriage plan at a news conference on Oct. 1 and simultaneously revealed that Mako has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder due to abusive comments about her relationship with Komuro.
Unlike other female members of the imperial family, Mako will not take part in the ceremonies associated with marriage nor receive the usual lump sum payment given to female imperial family members when they marry a commoner.
Mako and Komuro, both 29 and graduates of International Christian University, will submit a marriage report to a local government office in lieu of a wedding ceremony.
The couple also plans to hold a news conference on Oct. 26. Mako will apply for a passport with her new surname and then accompany Komuro to New York, where he plans to work as a lawyer.
Officials explained at the news conference that Mako has been diagnosed with complex PTSD, believed to have been caused by repeated exposure to harsh criticism directed at her and her family, as well as at Komuro and his family.
Tsuyoshi Akiyama, a psychiatrist at NTT Medical Center Tokyo, said it did not represent a problem while Mako was preparing for her marriage.
He explained that Mako became afraid of being unable to lead a calm and happy life from sometime between 2018 and 2019.
In February 2018, the couple announced they would postpone their marriage plans following reports of financial problems concerning Komuro’s mother and the couple’s handling of the matter.
Akiyama said she should be able to regain her health while being watched over warmly by those who care for her.
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