Apr 17, 2021
When last we visited Princess Mako and her boyfriend, Kei Komuro, the couple’s wish to marry had finally received the blessing of her father, Crown Prince Akishino, albeit with lingering reservations.
The media was still set against Komuro as a suitor to royalty for reasons mostly having to do with money, be it the loan his mother had yet to pay back to a former lover or the windfall that Mako would receive upon marrying and which some press outlets implied was Komuro’s reason for pursuing her.
The media’s negative view of Komuro continues to affect public opinion. The March 20 issue of weekly magazine Shukan Asahi published the results of a survey that showed 97% of respondents were opposed to the marriage. The survey was conducted on the internet, and such research tends to attract respondents who like to complain, but still that’s a pretty overwhelming reaction.