Living Former Members of the Imperial Family

Under the terms of the 1947 Imperial Household Law, naishinnõ (imperial princesses) and nyoõ (princesses) lose their titles and membership in the imperial family upon marriage, unless they marry the Emperor or another member of the imperial family. Three of the five daughters of Emperor Shõwa and the two daughters of Prince Mikasa left the imperial family upon marriage, taking the surnames of their husbands. (The eldest daughter of Emperor Shõwa married the eldest son of Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko in 1943. The Higashikuni family lost its imperial status along with the other collateral branches of the imperial household in October 1947). The living former imperial princesses (whose personal names are in parentheses) are:

• Mrs. Ikeda Takamasa (Atsuko), born 7 March 1931, fourth daughter of Emperor Shõwa and surviving elder sister of Emperor Akihito.

• Mrs. Shimazu Hisanaga (Takako), born 2 March 1939, fifth daughter and youngest child of Emperor Shõwa and younger sister of Emperor Akihito.

• Mrs. Konoe Tadateru (Yasuko), born 26 April 1944, eldest daughter and eldest child of Prince and Princess Mikasa.

• Mrs. Sen Soshitsu (Masako), born 23 October 1951, second daugther and fourth child of Prince and Princess Mikasa.

In addition to these former princesses, there are also descendants of the eleven cadet branches of the dynasty (Asaka, Fushimi, Higashi-Fushimi, Higashi-kuni, Kan'in, Kaya, Kitashirakawa, Kuni, Nashimoto, Takeda, and Yamashina) that left the imperial household in October 1947.