Prince Hisahito becomes the first royal male in Japan to reach adulthood in 4 decades.
Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) — In a big milestone for Japan’s royal family, Prince Hisahito has turned 18, becoming the first male royal family member to reach adulthood in almost four decades. It is a significant development for a family that has ruled for more than a millennium but faces the same existential problems as the rest of the nation — a fast-aging, shrinking population. Hisahito, who is set to become the emperor one day, is the nephew of Japanese Emperor Naruhito. His father, Crown Prince Akishino, was the last to do so, in 1985. He is the youngest of the 17-member all-adult imperial family, which currently has only four men. The 1947 Imperial House Law only allows a male to succeed to the throne.
