Newborn Prince Hisahito, the first heir to the throne born in 41 years, had his birth registered Thursday in the Imperial family registry, the Imperial Household Agency said.
The name Hisahito, the names of his father, Prince Akishino, and mother, Princess Kiko, and the time, date and place of his birth as well as the day he was officially named were recorded in the registry at the agency's Archives and Mausoleum Department in the Imperial Palace compound.
Agency chief Shingo Haketa and Takechiyo Orikasa, the department head, signed the registry with a traditional brush and ink to complete the procedure. The department keeps the original and a copy is kept in the Justice Department.
Imperial family members are not subject to the Family Registration Law. Their personal information is recorded instead in a special registry created for the family when Emperor Akihito took the throne in 1989. The Emperor and Empress Michiko are recorded in a separate registry.
Meanwhile, the government decided Thursday to give Prince Hisahito a 1.78 million yen allowance for the remainder of the fiscal year from the general account's reserve fund, in accordance with the Imperial House Economy Law.
The decision was made during a meeting of administrative vice ministers. The allowance is part of funds provided to Imperial branch families and is intended to pay for food, clothes and other personal expenses to maintain Imperial family dignity.