Princess Ayako to receive ¥107 mil after marriage to commoner

the lump sum payment will be provided to maintain her dignity even after she loses her royal status

And what happens to her "dignity" after the money runs out (and it soon will)?

Is that money just to "keep up appearences?

A million dollars to maintain herself? How about the rest of us?

For people with money, 107M is nothing but a coin. They can spend that in one snap, Ayako can surely do that. So, if I were in her shoes, I'd stay single for life, travel the world for free, sleep over at my bf's house, buy all the luxury. By doing that, my money will be forever flowing from the commoner's tax money (thank you people), no need to buy an apartment in Shinjuku because I own a castle. Sweet life.

I should apply to be her personal adviser.

Let's hope that 107 million Yen is enough to keep her "Cute & Fashionable" for many years to come! Kanpai!

It seems to me that people are getting far too bent out of shape over this. My tax money! My tax money!

Yes, your tax money. This system was not a mystery when most of us moved here.

107 million! He won't be so common then, will he?

in 6-7 years time she may get divorced ( she may not) what happens to that 1.7 mill yen? does she have to hand it back? I suppose that she will be always a commoner from when she get married.

i've obviously never had dignity ;o( as i work for a living. why not use the word status...

Unless you believe in overthrowing the royal family, sequestering all their wealth and forcing them to work in a konbini...

Overthrown, shared all wealth and cut the head, that's how we did.

We pay a Republic of luxure. Not sure it's a win but at least there is near absolute freedom of speech and thoughts in my country.

My dignity and my wife's are much higher price since there is no price.

Is that the end of her support by the people of Japan?

Probably not. The ex-imperials all seem to get a honorific position in Shinto religion or official representation (often in the palace, the persons that assist the Emperor when he travels, etc), and their salaries are paid by tax money. It's usually not immediately after marriage but couple of yrs later, when there is a job vacancy.

Unless you believe in overthrowing the royal family,

No need to fight, they have no power, they just wave their hand at the crowd. End the taiga dorama that has lasted too long. Release the actors from their contracts.

sequestering all their wealth

and forcing them to work in a konbini,

No need. FYI : Japanese Imperials do live in luxury, but they have no wealth of their own, not one yen in their name. I think that if they end the game, current Tenno, his wife, sons, second son's wife would deserve the life-long right to keep using one or two state-owned houses, receive a retirement lump sum and/or a pension. They have worked long hours, even if the job was useless, ex-employer has to support them in retirement. The next generation, it's different. They have to get their education paid , if it is not already done. Then give them a train ticket so they can pay a visit to Hallo Work. 

They can certainly all find a full-time shigoto , or start a business, or manage to wed someone rich, or do a tarento career, whatever. Many companies in Tokyo would hire a young lady like Ayako. She and hubby would do very well even without that gift money.

and on October 30th, his mother will be the first one knocking on their door doing the show me the money dance lol

A lot of knee-jerk comments here driven by envy and republicanism.

Think about it. just over 700 grand as a lump sum doesn't get you far these days. Buy a nice house and it's all gone. Invest for income and, with a 5% ROI you will get 35K a year - not bad but hardly a king's ransom, and with inflation it might not be much at all by the time they are old.

She gets this instead of being able to rely on an annual income for life as a member of the royal family. Yes, of course it's more than most people receive when they get married, and yes, her husband does have responsibility for providing for his wife and future family, but for heaven's sake, let's have a bit of perspective.

Unless you believe in overthrowing the royal family, sequestering all their wealth and forcing them to work in a konbini, then this really is nothing to get worked up about.

Is that the end of her support by the people of Japan?

No doubt people who hit 65 after paying in to the system for about 40 years will be ‘encouraged’ to work for a few more years.

Perhaps we’ll be told the old line about there being ‘dignity’ in work.

The wealthy love to preach of the dignity of hard work while doing everything in their power to remain undignified in that way.

Do you reckon ‘the commoner’ is gonna see any of this money? It’ll be ‘daddy’s cash’. It kind of reminds me of when I married my Japanese ex-wife. Her father thought he was the emperor and I was definitely ‘the commoner’ in his eyes. He gave me nothing more than the odd grunt or groan in acknowledgement of my presence.

One Oku !? Living off dividend, with 3% a year, 3 million a year, should be more enough on top of the commoner's work through connections he gets marrying a princess.

My wife and I are both married to commoners, and we have some sympathy for the Princess. It can be difficult at times. How do we claim our money?

This 107 M being paid to Ayako is nothing compared to the trillions of yen the government wastes on other stuff.

@Laguna - If you're paying 800,000 yearly for health insurance you're being ripped off. Badly. And if you have any kind of major operation with hospitalization, the total charges are gonna be three times or more what you're going to be charged and what you should have paid into it ( in a year ), and that's where taxpayer money comes in. But glad you haven't had to use it much.

Alex EinzToday  05:41 pm JST

Why are we paying this?

because you choose to live in a country of monarch.

My dignity needs a bit o' improving.

Serrano, I pay some 800,000 yearly into the health system and visit the hospital maybe once a year. The money goes to the elderly who need it. I hope that, when I'm elderly, the same will be done for me. But, at this point in my life, I'm certainly not taking.

Alex EinzToday:

Why are we paying this?

Because we elect people who make such decisions.

will receive 106,750,000 yen from the state

Not from Emperor, not from Imperial Household Agency, it's from commoner tax payer.

No doubt people who hit 65 after paying in to the system for about 40 years will be ‘encouraged’ to work for a few more years.

Perhaps we’ll be told the old line about there being ‘dignity’ in work.

Well, if there IS dignity in work, I guess there would also be dignity on the part of the government to present me that much money for my work.

If I got that much, even after years of my labor, I would be jumping for joy, with a big smile and bulging eyes.

Why are we paying this? I dont understand why public money allocated to this...? Sell part of castle or whatever... sick of this insanity

@Jimizo - that is another good point. I see many people beyond their 60's working and I know of a few who work because they need to.

Dignity is reserved for royalty and politicians. The rest of us are on our own.

What about their dignity?

No doubt people who hit 65 after paying in to the system for about 40 years will be ‘encouraged’ to work for a few more years.

Perhaps we’ll be told the old line about there being ‘dignity’ in work.

Basically it's a dowry, (a relic from the days when upper crust married women didn't work and represented only a cost to the family taking them in).

Perhaps we should think of this as early retirement payout. Princess Ayako has done work for the general public. Visiting old people homes. Attending openings of community centres. Receiving international visitors. Low level dignitary stuff like that. And for that, her cost of living was covered. But now, by leaving "the firm", she'll be saving us all that living and will get a one time lump payout, as pension.

Yes I look what I pay into national health insurance every month and I can assure you this is not free nor it is a gift. I believe I have paid much more in than has been taken out

Puckering

Cleo spot on. @serrenao I'm puckering sitting on a leaf...where is my princess, I know I'm common but maybe a princess might pick me. Still puckering.

if you have national health insurance and ever used it, you have received some public money.

If you've ever used the national health insurance, that means you've paid into it. Not the same at all as receiving public money free gratis and for nuthin.

Do the royals have a special 'common marriage fund' that they all pay into?

So she and her sis get the maximum handout from the public coffers stipulated under the law just for being the daughters of their parents, while people who have worked all their lives and paid through the nose into the public pension scheme see the pension they receive after retirement gradually being cut back. What about their dignity?

Geeze - nice to see the tax money I have paid in Japan from my business and personal income given away this way behind closed doors.

I second the post of Laguna (I am a bit older) - same situation and same sentiment

Ayako is lovely and the couple look happy. Perhaps Ayako has a friend who can kiss Cricky.

"the lump sum payment will be provided to maintain her dignity even after she loses her royal status"

Now this really pisses me off to no end!

@Laguna - if you have national health insurance and ever used it, you have received some public money.

A million bucks won't go far in maintaining your dignity. She can buy a 2LDK apartment in central Tokyo and then she's out of cash. But I'm guessing she won't be arubaito'ing at Lawsons to make ends meet.

Stupid commoner...what was he thinking? Guess common is what common thinks.

Damn got to find me a princess. Think I've payed that much tax. I'm a toad waiting for that special kiss.

I’d look like that as well if someone handed me ¥107m for doing sod all.

At 53, I've "maintained my dignity" by never receiving a yen of public money.

the lump sum payment will be provided to maintain her dignity even after she loses her royal status

"Maintain her dignity" ?

I guess all of us commoners, who don't even get that much after years of labor, must really be the worst of the worst.