For Mako of Japan, being with the love of her life came at an extraordinary cost. She renounced her royal title, her privileges, her imperial jewels, and ultimately her homeland.
Her controversial marriage to Kei Komuro, a commoner whose family was embroiled in a financial scandal, stripped her of her royal status under Japan’s Imperial House Law.
Four years after their wedding and departure from Japan, the couple now shares a baby whom the Emperor and Empress have yet to meet in person, as Mako has not set foot on Japanese soil since.
© Kyodo News/Sipa USAPrincess life is firmly in the past. Today, the Komuros lead a quiet existence in New York, focused on their professional careers. Often dubbed the “Asian Harry and Meghan,” a comparison to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the pair began their new chapter in the United States, living as private citizens and building their own family.
In May 2025, they welcomed their first child. Although the Imperial Household Agency confirmed the birth, neither the baby’s gender nor name has been publicly disclosed.
© Kyodo News/Sipa USAAccording to the Japanese weekly Daily Shincho, public opinion has grown increasingly critical of the Akishino family for allowing the marriage to proceed, and many believe it would be difficult for the couple to return to Japan while such sentiment persists.
A potential homecoming raises numerous questions. Where would they stay? Could they reside with her parents, the Crown Prince and Princess? Would her parents travel to meet their first grandchild? And what security costs would such a visit entail? In short, a scenario riddled with uncertainties, each carrying the risk of renewed controversy and fresh challenges for the Imperial Family.
© Kyodo News/Sipa USAThe physical distance has also reportedly deepened the emotional gap between Mako and her father, Crown Prince Fumihito, brother of Emperor Naruhito.
© PoolAs for Kei Komuro, he revealed in a book that his mother’s health is fragile and his grandfather is elderly, making it unrealistic for them to leave Japan to visit him in the United States.
The only apparent alternative would be for Kei to return alone to Japan with the baby, a move that, according to Japanese media, could spark unfounded speculation about the state of Crown Prince Akishino’s relationship with his daughter.
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