Princess Mako’s wedding planned for next year: sources

The Imperial Household Agency is planning to hold Princess Mako and her university sweetheart Kei Komuro’s wedding next year, sources close to the agency have revealed.

As well as deciding where the couple will live after marriage, there are many ceremonial rites that the agency and the couple must undertake before the wedding of a member of the Imperial Family, and the agency has judged that it is impossible to complete the process within the year.

The first ceremonial rite is the “Nosai no Gi,” which is equivalent to a traditional Japanese engagement ceremony, to solidify the vow. Next, during “Kokki no Gi,” a messenger for Komuro will visit Prince Akishino’s residence in Tokyo’s Akasaka district and announce the date of the wedding.

After the date of the wedding is decided, an Imperial Household Economy Council will meet to decide the lump sum paid by the government to Princess Mako, as she will no longer be considered part of the Imperial Family after her marriage to commoner Komuro.

As her marriage approaches, Princess Mako must also visit the Three Palace Sanctuaries on the Imperial Palace grounds, as well as perform the rite “Choken no Gi,” where she will officially greet Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Only after completing all the rites will the couple be able to marry, pushing the date back to sometime next year.