The boyfriend and former fiance of Princess Mako, niece of Japanese Emperor Naruhito, expressed his resolve to tie the knot with her in a statement released Thursday, vowing to "correct erroneous information" regarding a monetary dispute involving his mother.
The planned marriage between the princess and Kei Komuro, both 29, has been postponed for over two years following reports of trouble between his mother and her former fiance over money, including Komuro's educational expenses, which the man shouldered.
The princess' boyfriend from university days, who has been studying at Fordham University's law school in New York since August 2018, said the 24-page document released via his lawyer is aimed at "making corrections as much as possible" with regard to the reports on the dispute.
"I believe some people may be feeling a sense of distrust due to my silence," he said in his second public comment on the matter.
In his first public statement issued in January 2019, Komuro admitted that his family had received financial assistance from the former fiance and pledged to "gain an understanding from him" about the situation. But his explanation failed to get much public support.
The princess' father Crown Prince Fumihito, 55, the younger brother of the emperor, said last November he approves of the couple's marriage, but urged the Komuros to make a visible effort to resolve the dispute.
In the latest document, Komuro said he believes a settlement through talks between his mother and the former fiance would be "the best choice," but efforts to bridge the gap over the problem through their negotiations between May 2019 and November 2020 "broke down."
Yasuhiko Nishimura, head of the Imperial Household Agency, said at a regular press conference Thursday that the statement was "explained very well" but that the "public will make their own assessment" when it came to gaining their understanding.
The princess and Komuro met in 2012 as students at International Christian University in Tokyo. They announced in September 2017 their plan to get engaged, with their wedding originally scheduled to take place in November 2018.
But the Imperial Household Agency said in February 2018 their marriage would be put off until 2020 following reports of the dispute.
In November last year, Princess Mako expressed her resolve to go ahead with the marriage, saying it is a "necessary choice" for them.
Asked about the couple's delayed marriage, Emperor Naruhito said at a press conference in February that he hopes for "a situation in which many people are convinced and pleased, as Crown Prince Fumihito said."
© KYODO
38 Comments
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P. Smith
Why do I have to be the one to break the news to these two? You are adults, so act like it and get married if that’s what you want.
Ricky Sanchez
Just leave the two love birds alone, and let them live happily ever after, till death due them apart.
quercetum
She’s not in college anymore, the spring break of her life in Japan. Gone are the chances to meet guys in her tennis circles and English Speaking Societies. Her sister will get married before she does.
Aly Rustom
If I were in their shoes, I'd just elope.
Mr Kipling
The dispute is about ¥4 million, for the people involved its peanuts. The ex-boyfriend of Komoro's mother was just being vindictive for being jilted. The mother was being stubborn by not paying. If she had just given the cash none of this would have happened.
3RENSHO
"Former fiance"? If he is no longer her fiance, then has Kei Komuro been rejected? By whom?
garypen
Just pay the guy back. Simple.
borscht
A 24-page statement and all Kyodo garners from it are vague ‘necessary choice’, ‘best choice’, ‘urges’, ‘correct erroneous information’, ‘beliefs’, and ‘making corrections’, all without giving any concrete statements such as ‘we borrowed ¥4,000,000 and haven’t paid it back, but we are planning to as soon as I marry and Mako-sama’s retirement money comes in.’ or ‘We borrowed ¥4,000,000 and have no intention of paying it back because we - my mother and I - consider it payment for services rendered.’
On the other hand, two 29-year-olds who can’t figure out how to get married perhaps don’t deserve to get married.
HBJ
Just go down the city office and sign the papers. Tell the old folks tomorrow.
sf2k
it's a trap
Fighto!
It's pretty clear the powers that be will prevent this marriage from ever happening.
Perhaps there is something in his family background/bloodline that the government has discovered? Curious...
Michael Machida
Love. It's a beautiful thing.
"Princess Mako's boyfriend expresses resolve to marry her"
Pukey2
This is going to become one of the longest engagements ever!
Kentarogaijin
Nooooo Mako, Don't marry him !!..
noriahojanen
The central issue has more to do with the royal status for Princess Mako than their romantic relationship or marriage. Under the current law, the royal women once marrying to a commoner will have to leave the imperial house for good and renounce the royal position (though in exchange she will also be freed from public duties). Indirectly whatever decision also affects the future succession rule.
Personally I hope that Mako would be able to stay and work as a royal member after the marriage (or dare say, after the divorce, too). I assume such is also the will of Japanese majority.
Mark
Some men just can NEVER grow up from under Mama wings, and that may be the case here!!!
gogogo
Doomed to fail if there is a money problem at this stage.
Ego Sum Lux Mundi
Ooh, stop whispering such sweet, honeyed words, you smooth-tongued temptress.
Reckless
Congratulations! Better pollinate the flower before it wilts.
Alan Harrison
Princess Mako's boyfriend expresses resolve to marry her
Has the penny not dropped yet. Proncesd Mako's farher does not want them to marry. Just do it - marry.
Alan Harrison
Crown Prince Fumihoto must be a freak. Does he not want his daughter to be happy! Can't let go, can he?
Stewie
Just run away, sign the papers, have a bunch of kids, live in a tiny house by the sea, go surfing, be happy. Everyone deserves to be happy and in love.
itsonlyrocknroll
It would/could be solved, simply by coming to agreed settlement.
Allegedly four million yen. If that is the reason for this delay.
A 24-page document/statement published through Kei Komuro lawyers?
For a debt of four million yen? The attorney fees would be eye wincing.
The boyfriend and former fiancé of Princess Mako.
Former being the optimum word, if Kei Komuro quoted as former fiancé, then a wedding is unlikely, for obvious reasons.
Maybe, Kei Komuro Mother’s relationship with this former fiancé, is the fly in the ointment, to much baggage.
Kniknaknokkaer
She should run off to NYC and marry him if that's what they want to do, sod what everyone else thinks.
Pukey2
Maybe they can just dekichatta it.
starpunk
They are both 29 years old and a sack of yen shouldn't mean a thing here.
Nike says, 'Just do it!' ELOPE and be done with it!
Do the hustle
Chase that gold! Marry the money!
ZENJI
These two DESERVE to be together.
The Imperial Household Agency, Back Off.
Hito Bito
What's crazy is this: this powerless princess, she whose selected life partner must undergo the most scrupulous investigations into the most private aspects of both public and private life in order to be "deemed fit" to bear the "responsibility" of such a "prestigious" relationship, and humiliated by the press on an almost daily basis as they gleefully pick through the over-analyzed bones of the couple's previous life experiences...
...will upon marriage immediately be separated from the royal family and stripped her title of princess, be given a rather token sum (not one-twentieth the money the "Retired Royal" Hollywood Hal, or the fascism-loving, Not-Up-To-Playing-The King Edward VIII got, by means of comparison), and fobbed off to shift for herself as nothing more than "Mrs. Kei Komuro". So Long! Farewell! Auf Wiedersehen! Goodbye!
Meanwhile, any and all princes, including her own uncle, father, and younger brother, will now, and forever be, Firmly In The Firm!~ I get the need to "slim down" the Royals (as Prince Chuck is presently planning a-la two generations down the Family Tree Archie, Esq.), but I say: if you're a born princess whose father, and brother will someday reign, you yourself, if only you, ought to be granted the decency of remaining a Royal Princess For Life!
Random
Looks like she borrowed one of her mother’s dresses.
Reckless
If they elope, I assume she does not get the million dollar payoff that they are both counting on.
kiwi07
I think Al Bundy said it best on Married with Children:
"Al : Now Jefferson, all kidding aside, run. Run hard, run now, run silent, run deep, run like Mexican water through a first-time tourist, but the key word here is "run!"
Jefferson : Don't you think she's cute, Al?
**Al : ***Run."
factchecker
Who cares!
kurisupisu
Is this really news?
itsonlyrocknroll
It is the fallout/breakdown from the relationship of Kei Komuro Mother and her former fiancé.
That is the deal breaker.
Both culturally and politically.
No run and hide here
mmwkdw
Never heard about eloping and leaving the Country ?
KansaiTen
How difficult is it to expect that a 29-year-old man “shoulder” his own educational expenses like many of us commoners have had to do? Should not the royal family wonder if this man can be a good provider in the future?
asiafriend
Maybe fruitcakes are running the show, thus, they cantaloupe.