Princess Mako Of Japan Gives Up Royal Title, Marries Commoner Kei Komuro In Tokyo
There were no bells and whistles when Princess Mako of Japan married commoner Kei Komuro in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday, October 26.
The two got married by going to a registry office in Tokyo, where royal representatives were on site.
"For me, Kei-san is a priceless person. For us, our marriage was a necessary choice to live while cherishing our hearts," Mako, a niece of the current emperor, said at the news conference.
For his part, Komuro said, "I love Mako. I live only once and I want to spend it with someone I love. I hope to have a warm family with Mako-san, and I will continue to do everything to support her."
Since Komuro is a commoner, she will no longer be able to use her royal title. Going forward, she will be known as Mako Komuro.
The two have been through some ups and downs in the past few years. First, they met at Tokyo's International Christian University, and in 2017, they announced they would get married in 2018.
However, due to Komuro's mother being involved in a financial scandal, the wedding was delayed.
Komuro then went to New York to attend law school at Fordham University of Law. When he came back to Japan, the couple was not well-liked, especially on social media.
"I acknowledge that there are various opinions about our marriage. I feel very sorry for the people to whom we gave trouble," Mako, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, said at the conference. "I'm grateful for the people who have been quietly concerned about us, or those who continued supporting us without being confused by baseless information."
"I sincerely hope that our society will be a place where more people can live and protect their hearts with the help of warm help and support from others," she added.
Now, Mako may move to New York with her husband, as he works at a law firm.
The royal turned down a payment of 140 million yen (about $1.23 million), which she was entitled to receive for leaving the imperial family. The pair will live off Komuro's salary going forward.
"There will be different kinds of difficulties as we start our new life, but we’ll walk together as we have done so in the past," Mako said.
