The rarefied world of Japan’s imperial family has entered the age of social media, but fans expecting selfies, emojis and casual shots of the emperor, empress, or off-the-beaten-path princes and princesses may be disappointed.
A far cry from the photos of sunrises, sunsets and moments of mindfulness that form the stock traded on many Instagram profiles, the first images published follow the steady course favored by other royals around the world. I did. They attended medical award ceremonies, bonsai exhibitions and meetings with the President and First Lady of Kenya with dignity. Another post features them alongside the Crown Prince and Princess of Brunei.
One video clip shows a 64th birthday gathering, but instead of intimate footage of the family singing around a cake, a large crowd waves the Japanese flag outside the Imperial Palace and Emperor Naruhito holds his hand from the balcony. He is shown waving.
Approximately 19 images were posted by the Imperial Household Agency (IHA). first day It showcases the social media journey of the world’s oldest continuous hereditary monarchy and includes images of Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter Princess Aiko during their engagement from the first three months of this year.
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Some of the account’s 160,000 followers may have been disappointed by the lack of meme-worthy content. In fact, some images, including Naruhito’s appearance at the opening of the Diet in January, already in the public domain.
“IHA has appeared on Instagram!” I thought it was an April Fool’s prank! ” one X user wrote.
“When I heard that IHA had created an Instagram account, I immediately checked it out. But of course His Majesty the Emperor would not post things like “Today’s lunch (heart emoji).”
Some users joked that it was a good thing the royal family chose the more “civilized” Instagram rather than X (formerly Twitter).
The Household Budget Agency said it would consider proposals from other monarchies to collaborate on social media, although it does not yet follow anyone on Instagram, according to Japanese media.
But the unprecedented use of social media certainly signaled a change in authorities’ careful control over senior members of the family, and in 2021, Princess Mako’s then-controversial marriage to a non-royal. It is believed that this was partially caused by negative media coverage of the outbreak.
The agency has often struggled to respond to online criticism of the couple, a shortcoming that prompted it to create a new communications office last year to share more news and information about the royal family, especially with young people. .
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Princess Mako’s marriage to her former university classmate, Kei Komuro, is pending until Princess Mako’s parents, Crown Prince Akishino (younger brother of the current Emperor) and Crown Princess Kiko, resolve the financial scandal involving her fiancé’s mother. It was postponed because it said it could not proceed.
The princess, now known as Mako Komuro, and her husband live in New York, where he is a lawyer and she volunteers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Like all female royals who marry “commoners,” Princess Mako lost her royal status and received a lump sum of about $1 million ($791,000) from taxpayers, traditionally given to women who renounce their royal status. He also reportedly refused to pay sterling. Royal status at the time of marriage.
IHA is also considering expanding its social media presence by opening accounts on Facebook and X that could include images of the crown prince and princess and other family members.
But for now, the online portal to the Chrysanthemum Throne (which, according to legend, dates back 2,600 years) is little different from the agency’s website, which focuses on the public life of working families.
According to the Asahi Shimbun, the agency’s media bureau is in charge of selecting and posting photos on Instagram, as well as managing comments, and there are no plans for individual members of the imperial family to upload their own images.
