Japanese Royal Family Makes Debut on Instagram

In a move unaffected by recent events surrounding their British counterparts, the Japanese royal family launched its first official account on the social media platform Instagram, on Monday, in an attempt to shed its image as a distant and isolated institution from the country's youth.

According to the American network NBC, the account garnered over 320,000 followers by the end of the first day.

Over the past few hours, the account has posted 60 photos and five videos, showcasing the first three months of the year for the royal family, from New Year celebrations to a royal birthday, as reported by the Japanese news agency "Kyodo."

Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and their 22-year-old daughter, Princess Aiko, are featured in all the photos, attending ceremonies and meeting with other officials.

The account has disabled comments on all its posts, leading many in Japan to express their opinions on other social media platforms.

The Japanese royal family considered the oldest monarchy in the world, says it is trying to reach younger generations through Instagram and will consider opening accounts on Facebook and X in the future.

Mariko Fujiwara, head of the Imperial Household Agency's public relations office, said, "Since the imperial family is based on the consensus of the people, we hope that this understanding will deepen among the youth who will lead the next generation," as reported by the Japanese newspaper "Asahi Shimbun."

The Japanese imperial family has followed other royal families around the world, with the British royal family joining the X platform about 15 years ago.

Last month highlighted the potential risks of social media, as these ancient institutions, dating back thousands of years, seek to adapt to the modern world.

Japan previously faced its royal scandal in 2021 when Princess Mako, the niece of the former Emperor Naruhito, married a commoner and dramatically left royal life in a situation reminiscent of Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

At that time, public disapproval of the groom dominated newspaper headlines due to a financial dispute involving his mother, leading to a delay in the wedding.

Ultimately, Mako relinquished her royal status and rejected the total sum of around $1.3 million typically received by royal women marrying outside the family.