Princess Ayako, the youngest daughter of Emperor Akihito's late cousin, will receive ¥106.75 million from the state after her expected marriage with commoner Kei Moriya later this month, a government council decided Thursday.
Based on the law on Imperial household finance, the lump sum payment will be provided in order to maintain her high standard of living even after she loses her royal status following her wedding on Oct. 29. The amount equaled the upper limit stipulated in the law.
The payment was unanimously approved at a closed-door meeting of the Imperial House Economy Council, which consists of eight members including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the presidents of the two chambers of the Diet and the head of the Imperial Household Agency.
The amount is set depending on the status of an Imperial family member. The money is exempt from income tax.
Noriko Senge, an older sister of Princess Ayako, received the same amount in 2014 when she tied the knot with Kunimaro Senge, a senior priest at Izumo Taisha shrine in Shimane Prefecture.
Sayako Kuroda, the daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, was given around ¥150 million when she married Tokyo Metropolitan Government employee Yoshiki Kuroda in 2005.
Princess Ayako, 28, the third daughter of late Prince Takamado and Princess Hisako, is due to marry Moriya, a 32-year-old employee with shipping firm Nippon Yusen K.K.
