With Japan moving forward with the formal investiture of Crown Prince Akishino on Sunday — postponed once due to the COVID-19 pandemic — the tremendous fragility of the imperial line has once again come into spotlight.
By all accounts, the crown prince and his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, are decent and sincere individuals who try to use their imperial prestige to make the world a better place. They have, along with Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and other imperial family members, continued in the footsteps of the previous emperor and empress by mixing regularly with their countrymen (although it has proven to be difficult amid the pandemic).
Frankly, those in Japan who care deeply about the imperial house should be grateful for the fact that Crown Prince Akishino has gracefully accepted his secondary position.