Nobuhiko Higashikuni

Nobuhiko Higashikuni (東久邇 信彦, Higashikuni Nobuhiko, 10 March 1945 – 20 March 2019)[1] was a Japanese aristocrat and former Imperial prince. The first grandchild of Emperor Hirohito, he was the eldest son of Shigeko, Princess Teru, the Emperor's eldest child. He was thus a maternal nephew of the Emperor Emeritus Akihito. His father was Morihiro Higashikuni, a grandson of Emperor Meiji.

Nobuhiko Higashikuni
BornPrince Nobuhiko Higashikuni
(1945-03-10)10 March 1945
Tokyo, Japan
Died20 March 2019(2019-03-20) (aged 74)
Spouse(s)
Yoshiko Shimada
​
(m. 1972)​
Issue
Yukihiko Higashikuni
FatherPrince Morihiro Higashikuni
MotherShigeko, Princess Teru

Biography

He was born in a shelter home amid the air raid on Tokyo as the eldest son of Prince Morihiro Higashikuni and Shigeko, Princess Teru, the eldest daughter of Hirohito, then the reigning Emperor of Japan.

After departing from the Imperial Palace, he studied at the Keio University Law School and worked at Mitsui Bank. He was appointed as a member of the Thai Association of Japan, and subsequently the executive director, managing director, Kakari member, etc. In June 2008, he assumed the honorary presidency of the All Japan Baseball Conference. In July 2009, he assumed the role of honorary adviser of the Japan-US Friendship Bridge Executive Committee. Other positions held by Higashikuni were; Honorary Chairman of the Society "Togo Association" and Honorary President of the Association to Protect Japanese Tradition.[2]

Higashikuni married Yoshiko Shimada in June 1972. The Shimada family is a commoner family which runs a real estate management business (apartment/parking lot management) in Yokohama, but Emperor Hirohito liked Shimada's homely appearance and blessed Nobuhiko's marriage. In the following year a boy, Yukihiko, was born to the couple.[3]

Titles and styles
  • 10 March 1945 – 14 October 1947: His Imperial Highness Prince Nobuhiko
  • 14 October 1947 – 20 March 2019: Mr. Higashikuni Nobuhiko

Ancestry

Since his parents and grandparents were all members of the Imperial House of Japan and very closely related to the senior members of the family, the existence of Nobuhiko and his son, Yukihiko, has been noted when discussing the problem of succession to the throne due to the scarcity of male royalty, especially before 2006.

References
  1. 元皇族の東久邇信彦氏逝去 昭和天皇の初孫 [Former member of the Japanese imperial family, Mr HIGASHIKUNI Nobuhiko dead.]. JIJI.COM (in Japanese). Jiji Press. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  2. 日本の伝統を守る会
  3. 1972年6月13日 朝日新聞「陛下の初孫ゴールイン　東久邇信彦氏と吉子さん」
Nobuhiko Higashikuni
Born: 10 March 1945
Titles of nobility
Preceded by
Morihiro Higashikuni		 — TITULAR —
Heir apparent to the Headship of the House of Higashikuni
(Hereditary Prince Higashikuni)
1 February 1969 – 20 January 1990		 Succeeded by
Yukihiko Higashikuni
Preceded by
Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni		 — TITULAR —
Head of the House of Higashikuni
20 January 1990 – 20 March 2019		 Succeeded by
Yukihiko Higashikuni
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