Japanese Princess Mako to marry commoner, rejects $1.2 million payout

The Crown Princess of Japan and Emperor Naruhito's niece has undergone years of squabbling and procrastinating about her intentions to marry her lover Kei Komuro.

True love seldom runs smoothly, but following public backlash and a wedding postponement, Japan's Princess Mako is allegedly ready to marry and go to America. The Crown Princess of Japan and Emperor Naruhito's niece has undergone years of squabbling and procrastinating about her intentions to marry her lover Kei Komuro. The couple has now chosen to marry without any traditional rituals and decline a payment customarily given to female royals who marry outside of the royal family. According to Japan's imperial succession laws, Mako, 29, will lose her title after marrying a commoner.

However, Komuro is still being investigated for claims that his mother stole money from a past fiance and refused to reimburse it. Following tabloid coverage of the accusations, a frenzy arose around the young couple in a country where the royal family is held to a high standard. The couple postponed their wedding, and Komuro relocated to the United States for law school in an effort to defuse the unfavourable attention.

Crown Prince Akishino stated last year that he backed his daughter's marriage, but she needed to gain the public's "understanding." However, she appears to have opted to avoid the issue by marrying without the traditional ceremonial rites associated with a royal wedding and by refusing a lump sum payment granted to female royals who marry commoners. The amount of the payment is unknown, although it is estimated to be 137 million yen ($1.2 million) or more.

She is also rumoured to be contemplating a relocation to the United States following her wedding, bringing obvious similarities to another contentious royal pair, Britain's Prince Harry and Megan Markle. Mako is the younger sister of Prince Hisahito, the only other eligible male successor to Japan's Chrysanthemum Throne, as the Chrysanthemum Throne may only descend to male members of the dynasty, and children of female royals who marry commoners are excluded. Although there has been no official confirmation of Princess Mako's plans, rumours have dominated news headlines and caused a social media frenzy.