Prince Takamado

Prince Takamado (Norihito) of Japan (高円宮憲仁親王jp: "Takamado no miya Norihito shinnō"), (b. 29 December 1954 - d. 21 November 2002), third son of Prince Mikasa (Takahito). He was a cousin of HIM Emperor Akihito, and seventh in line to the Chrysanthemum throne.

Education

He studied and graduated from the Faculty of Law of Gakushuin University in 1978. He subsequently studied abroad from 1978 - 1981 at Queen's University Faculty of Law in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

From 1981 - 2002 he worked as an administrator at the Japan Foundation.

Marriage and family

He met and became engaged ("Nosai no Gi") to Ms. Hisako Tottori, eldest daughter of Mr. Shigejiro Tottori, on 17 September 1984. They married on 6 December 1984. They have three daughters:

*Princess Tsuguko (b. 8 March 1986 - )
*Princess Noriko (b. 22 July 1988 - )
*Princess Ayako (b. 15 September 1990 - )

Princess Tsuguko is currently studying in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh. The two younger princesses are currently studying at the Gakushuin Girls' Junior High School.

Prince Takamado was president or honorary president of various organisations that concerned themselves especially with music, dance, international exchange, and sports. He traveled extensively abroad with HIH Princess Takamado to represent Japan on various functions.

Last functions

One of his last official visits was to South Korea, from May to June 2002. The invitation came from the Korean government for the Opening Ceremony of the Football World Cup 2002 Korea-Japan. Though normally the heads of state attend the opening ceremonies of the Football World Cup, the organisers feared that the presence of the Emperor himself would have caused a stir in Korea. The goodwill visit by the Prince and Princess to Korea was the first Japanese royal visit since World War II. The couple toured the country extensively, met with President Kim Dae-jung and ordinary Koreans, And He visited the facilities for the physically disabled in South Korea that the Japaense princess had managed. [Yomiuri Shinbun (2002/05/31) 高円宮ご夫妻は３１日午前、ソウル近郊の障害者福祉施設「明暉園」を訪問された。同園は、旧皇族・梨本宮家から李王朝最後の皇太子に嫁いだ李方子（まさこ）さん（１９８９年死去）が１９６７年に設立した施設。皇族として初の訪問となったこの日、方子さんと手を携え設立に尽力した金寿姙（キムスーイン）さん（８１）も出迎え、サッカーボールをあしらったペナントをご夫妻に贈った。] The visit was therefore an important step for the betterment of ties between Korea and Japan.

On 21 November 2002, while playing squash with the Canadian ambassador Robert G. Wright at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, the Prince suddenly collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where he died of heart failure.

The Prince was an honorary member of A.V. Edo-Rhenania Tokyo, a Catholic student fraternity that is affiliated with the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen.

The Prince's funeral was held at Toshimagaoka cemetery in northern Tokyo.

External links

* [http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e03/ed03-11.html Kunaicho |His Imperial Highness Prince Takamado]
* [http://www.jpf.go.jp/e/about/library/takamado.html The Japan Foundation |The H.I.H. Prince Takamado Memorial Collection]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2016376.stm BBC News |Japanese royals make symbolic trip to Seoul]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2526599.stm BBC News |Funeral held for Japan's prince]
* [http://www.rom.on.ca/exhibitions/wculture/wcjapan.php Royal Ontario Museum |Prince Takamado Gallery of Japan]