Japan’s crown prince Akishino slams media for ‘slanderous’ coverage of daughter Mako’s marriage
- At a news conference to mark his 56th birthday, Akishino said ‘a lot of things in the tabloids were fabricated’
- The 30-year-old was diagnosed with PTSD earlier this year due to intense media scrutiny regarding her marriage to Kei Komuro
Mako, 30, postponed her marriage to Kei Komuro, 30, for roughly three years over opposition stemming from a scandal involving his mother.
Mako was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder during that period.
In accordance with Japanese law, Mako relinquished her royal status when the two married by submitting paperwork at a local office and left to live in New York this month.
Crown Prince Akishino, the emperor’s brother, made the remarks, unusually candid for a Japanese royal, at a news conference to mark his 56th birthday.
“If you read the tabloids, well – I’m not sure how to say this exactly – but there’s a lot of things in there that are fabricated, although there are also some opinions we should listen to,” Akishino said when asked about the connection between media coverage and his daughter’s diagnosis.