Relatives of the Emperor of Japan

Below is a list of known relatives of the reigning Emperor of Japan (Akihito). The list includes persons related to the Emperor through blood and marriage. Readers should note the following. First, while Emperor Meiji was the progenitor of the modern Imperial Family, his official consort, the Empress Shôken, bore no children. Lady Yanagiwara Naruko, an imperial concubine, was the biological mother of Emperor Taisho and thus the paternal great grandmother of the current Emperor. Second, the list shows the Emperor's known living relatives in both the paternal and maternal lines. These include the surviving brother, nieces, and nephews of the Empress Kojun (Nagako). Third, not all persons on this list are currently (or were ever) members of the Imperial Family. Under the 1947 Imperial Household Law, princesses lose their rank and status upon marriage. The husbands and children of former princesses are not members of the Imperial Family (except in the case of females who may later marry into the Imperial Family).

Father

• Emperor Shôwa (Hirohito, 1901-1989)
• Empress Kojun (born Kuni no miya Nagako Nyoô, 1903-2000)

Paternal Grandparents

• Emperor Taishô (Yoshihito, 1879-1925)
• Empress Teimei (born Lady Kujo Sadako, 1884-1951)

Maternal Grandparents

• Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi (Kuni no miya Kuniyoshi ō, 1873-1929)
• Lady Shimazu Chikako (1879-1956)

Paternal Great Grandparents

• Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito, 1862-1912)
• Lady Yanagiwara Naruko (1855-1943), imperial concubine

Maternal Great Grandparents

• Prince Kuni Asahiko (Kuni no miya Asahiko Shinnô, 1824-1891)
• Izume Makiko

LIVING RELATIVES

Wife

• The Empress Michiko (nee Shoda Michiko)

Children

• The Crown Prince (Hiro no miya Naruhito Shinnô), elder son
• Prince Akishino (Akishino no miya Fumihito Shinnô), younger son
• Princess Nori (Nor no miya Sayako Naishinnô), daughter

Daughters-in-Law

• The Crown Princess (nee Owada Masako)
• Princess Akishino (nee Kawashima Kiko)

Grandchildren

• Princess Toshi (Toshi no miya Aiko Naishinnô)
• Princess Mako of Akishino (Akishino no miya Mako Naishinnô)
• Princess Kako of Akishino (Akishino no miya Kako Naishinnô)

Brother

• Prince Hitachi (Hitachi no miya Masahito Shinnô)

Sister-in-Law

• Princess Hitachi (nee Tsugaru Hanako)

Surviving Sisters

• Mrs. Ikeda Takamasa (formerly Princess Yori; Yori no miya Atsuko Naishinnô)
• Mrs. Shimazu Hisanaga (formerly Princess Suga; Suga no miya Takako Naishinnô)

Surviving Brothers-in-Law

• Mr. Ikeda Takamasa
• Mr. Shimazu Hisanaga

Nieces and Nephews

• Mr. Higashikuni Nobuhiko, eldest son of the late Mrs. Higashikuni Morihiro (formerly Princess Teru)
• Mrs. Omura Kazutoshi (Fumiko), elder daughter of the late Mrs. Higashikuni Morihiro (formerly Princess Teru)
• Mr. Higashikuni Naohiko, second son of the late Mrs. Higashikuni Morihiro (formerly Princess Teru)
• Mr. Mibu Morihiro (nee Higashikuni Hidehiko), third son of the late Mrs. Higashikuni Morihiro (formerly Princess Teru); adopted heir of the Mibu family
• Mr. Shimazu Yorihisa, only son of Mrs. Shimazu Hisanaga (formerly Princess Teru)

Surviving Paternal Uncle

· Prince Mikasa (Mikasa no miya Takahito Shinnô), youngest brother of Emperor Shôwa

Surviving Paternal Aunts

• Princess Mikasa (nee Takagi Yoriko), wife of Prince Mikasa (Takahito)
• Princess Takamatsu (nee Tokugawa Kikuko), widow of Prince Takamatsu

Surviving Maternal Uncle

• Mr. (formerly Count) Higashi-Fushimi Jigo, surviving brother of Empress Kojun

Surviving Maternal Aunt

• Mrs. (formerly Countess) Higashi-Fushimi Jigo (Yasuko), wife of Higashi-Fushimi Jigo

Paternal First Cousins (children of Prince Mikasa)

• Mrs. Konoe Tadateru (Yasuko), elder daughter of Prince Mikasa
• Prince Tomohito of Mikasa (Mikasa no miya Tomohito Shinnô), eldest son of Prince Mikasa
• Prince Katsura (Katsura no miya Yoshihito Shinnô), second son of Prince Mikasa
• Prince Takamado (Takamado no miya Norihito Shinnô), third son of Prince Mikasa
• Mrs. Sen Masayuki (Masako), younger daughter of Prince Mikasa

Paternal First Cousins Once-Removed (grandchildren of Prince Mikasa)

• Mr. Konoe Tadahiro, only son of Mrs. Konoe Tadateru (Yasuko)
• Princess Akiko (Mikasa no miya Akiko Nyoô), elder daughter of Prince Tomohito
• Princess Yoko (Mikasa no miya Yuko Nyoô), younger daughter of Prince Tomohito
• Princess Tsuguko (Takamado no miya Tsuguko Nyoô), eldest daughter of Prince Takamado
• Princess Noriko (Takamado no miya Noriko Nyoô), second daughter of Prince Takamado
• Princess Ayako (Takamado no miya Ayako Nyoô), third daughter of Prince Takamado
• Mr. Sen Akifumi, son of Mrs. Sen Masayuki (Masako)
• Miss Sen Makiko, daughter of Mrs. Sen Masayuki

Maternal First Cousins

• Mrs. Nashimoto Norihiko (nee former Princess Kuni Masako), eldest daughter of the late former Prince Kuni Asaakira (1900-1959), the elder brother of the late Empress Kojun
• Mrs. Shimazu Nirichika (nee former Princess Kuni Asako), second daughter of former Prince Kuni Asaakira
• Mr. Kuni Kuniaki (formerly Prince Kuni Kuniaki), eldest son of former Prince Kuni Asaakira
• Miss. Kuni Michiko (nee former Princess Kuni Michiko), third daughter of former Prince Kuni Asaakira
• Mr. Kuni Asatake (formerly Prince Kuni Asatake), second son of former Prince Kuni Asaakira
• Mrs. Furakawa Junnosuke (nee former Princess Kuni Noriko), fourth daughter of former Prince Kuni Asaakira
• Mr. Higashi-Fushimi Kuniko, eldest son of former Count Higashi-Fushimi Jigo
• Mrs. Shijo Takasada (Hatsuko), daughter of Count Sanjonishi Kinosa and the late former Princess Kuni Nobuko (1904-1945), younger sister of the late Empress Kojun
• Otani Kosho, son of the late former Count Otani Kosho and the late former Princess Kuni Satoko, younger sister of the late Empress Kojun