Japan’s Prince Hitachi Turns 90

Tokyo, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prince Hitachi, the younger brother of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and uncle of Emperor Naruhito, turned 90 on Friday. According to the Imperial Household Agency, the prince spends his days with his wife, Princess Hanako, 85, at their residence in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward. He does regular rehabilitation exercises to maintain his health. The prince was hospitalized in 2023 for a urinary tract infection following surgery for ureteral stones, but has since recovered. He performs gait training and stretching exercises with a physical therapist at home twice a week and at a hospital three times a month to maintain lower limb strength. Due to his advanced age, the prince has refrained from attending events hosted by organizations of which he serves as head or honorary head, since attending an exhibition hosted by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation in March 2024. Princess Hanako participates in such events on his behalf. Prince Hitachi spends most of his time in a wheelchair at his residence. He takes care of a 5-year-old miniature dachshund named Fukuhime. When the weather is nice, he takes a stroll in his garden with his wife. They sometimes enjoy watching wild birds, with the prince answering the princess’s questions about them. The prince watches television, including the news and sports such as golf, basketball and sumo. Together with his wife, he watched the Los Angeles Dodgers, which includes Shohei Ohtani and two other Japanese players, win their second World Series in a row. He occasionally invites friends to his residence for chats. Although he no longer engages in cancer research, Prince Hitachi remains interested in carcinogenesis and cancer biology, his fields of expertise, and sometimes reads related journals. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]