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| Masahito | |
|---|---|
| Prince Hitachi | |
.jpg) Masahito in 2019 | |
| Born | Masahito, Prince Yoshi (義宮正仁親王) (1935-11-28)28 November 1935 (age 89) Tokyo Imperial Palace,Tokyo City,Empire of Japan |
| Spouse | |
| House | Imperial House of Japan |
| Father | Emperor Shōwa |
| Mother | Princess Nagako Kuni |
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Masahito, Prince Hitachi (常陸宮正仁親王,Hitachi-no-miya Masahito Shinnō, born 28 November 1935) is a member of theImperial House of Japan, the younger brother ofEmperor emeritus Akihito and the paternal uncle ofEmperor Naruhito. He is the second son and sixth born child ofEmperor Shōwa andEmpress Kōjun and is third and last inline to theChrysanthemum Throne. He is mainly known for philanthropic activities and his research on the causes of cancer.
Born atTokyo Imperial Palace inTokyo, Masahito held the childhood appellationPrince Yoshi (義宮正仁親王,Yoshi-no-miya Masahito Shinnō).
Masahito received his primary and secondary schooling at theGakushūin Peers' School. In late 1944, theImperial Household Ministry evacuated Prince Yoshi and the Crown Prince toNikkō, to escape the Americanbombing of Tokyo.
After the war, from 1947 to 1950, Mrs.Elizabeth Gray Vining tutored both princes and their sisters, the PrincessesKazuko,Atsuko, andTakako, in the English language. Her account of the experience is entitledWindows for the Crown Prince (1952).
Prince Yoshi received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the Faculty of Science atGakushuin University in 1958. He subsequently did postgraduate work in the Faculty of Science atTokyo University. In 1969, he became a Research Associate of theJapanese Foundation for Cancer Research specializing in the study of cellular division. The results of his research have been reported in the technical journals of the Japanese Cancer Association, as well as of the American Association for Cancer Research.
In 1997, Prince Hitachi received anhonorary doctorate fromGeorge Washington University in the United States, and in April 2001 received another from theUniversity of Minnesota. In March 1999, he became an honorary member of the German Association for Cancer Research, in recognition of his significant scientific contributions to the field of cancer research.
On 30 September 1964, the Prince marriedHanako Tsugaru (born 19 July 1940), fourth daughter of the late Yoshitaka Tsugaru, a formercount and a descendant of thedaimyō of Tsugaru Domain. The following day, Emperor Shōwa granted him the titleHitachi-no-miya (Prince Hitachi), and authorization to start a new branch of the Imperial Family in celebration of his wedding.
Prince and Princess Hitachi have their official residence in a palace in large gardens off Komazawadori inHigashi, Shibuya.[1] They have no children because the prince during his childhood contacted polio but it was mild he survived but became infertile as a result.
In September 2021, the Japanese government considered plans to amend theImperial Household Law and allow Prince Hitachi to adopt a male member of the formershinnōke orōke collateral branches of the imperial family in an effort to address theJapanese imperial succession debate.[2]
Prince Hitachi is the honorary president of a wide variety of charitable organizations, especially those involving international exchange. Most recently, Prince and Princess Hitachi visitedNicaragua andEl Salvador, to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment ofdiplomatic relations with both countries in October 2005. They also made a visit to France in September 2007 andPeru, marking the celebration of 110 years since the establishment of a Japanese community in this country, June 2009.
Prince Hitachi suffered from fever in late February 2023 and was hospitalized on 1 March. He was diagnosed withureteral stones for which he underwent ureteralstenting the day after at theJapanese Red Cross Medical Center. He was discharged from hospital on 5 March.[3][4] On 21 March, he underwent ureterallithotripsy and was discharged on 24 March.[5][6] He was readmitted to hospital with a fever and loss of appetite on 2 April,[7] and was subsequently diagnosed with aurinary tract infection.[8] He was discharged from hospital on 24 April.[9]
Japan: Grand Cordon of theOrder of the Chrysanthemum (28 November 1955)
Denmark: Knight of theOrder of the Elephant (28 September 1965)[10]
Italy: Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of Merit of the Italian Republic (22 November 1965)[11]
Nepal: Member of theOrder of the Benevolent Ruler (19 April 1960)[12]| Ancestors of Masahito, Prince Hitachi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Masahito, Prince Hitachi Born: 28 November 1935 | ||
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| Preceded by | Line of succession to the Japanese throne 3rd in line | Last in line |
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The generations indicate descent fromEmperor Meiji, who founded theEmpire of Japan. | ||
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