How a modern Japanese Princess lives: Spying on Princess Kako

The popularity of the young Princess Kako, the second daughter of Prince Akishino, has reached incredible proportions in recent years. The excitement in Japanese society around the emperor's granddaughter made her photos a well-paid commodity. Therefore, a couple of young Japanese decided to earn extra money.

Classmates of the middle granddaughter of the imperial couple of Japan, Princess Akishino-no-miya Kako, sold photos of the princess to the tabloids on the campus of Leeds University. It turned out that the Japanese students unnamed in the article, a young man and a girl, specifically chose to study exchange at this university in order to follow the princess, secretly photograph her and thus earn a tidy sum.

It all started with the fact that in October 2017, a classmate of Princess Akishino-no-miya Kako sold a photo from his mobile phone to the Japanese tabloid Prime.

The picture shows Princess Kako talking to a young man in a library on the University of Leeds campus. The young man hides his face, so it is difficult to understand whether he is Japanese or European.

The 22-year-old Japanese princess is studying psychology at a British university and will remain at the institution for a year.

And the other day, the Japanese magazine for girls J-Prime published several photos of the first days of the princess' stay on the campus of Leeds University.

The article accompanying the photo says that immediately after arriving in the United Kingdom, the princess stopped in London, at the residence of the Japanese ambassador. Then she visited the sights of the British capital and two days later arrived in Leeds, where she took part in the student initiation ceremony together with 20 other Japanese. Kako and other Japanese exchange students settled in Dormitory "C", the largest of the campus dormitories, designed for 600 people.

Princess Kako shares a room with three other students — Japanese, Norwegian and Thai girls. There is no language barrier, the princess speaks English fluently, knows a little German and Thai.

Insiders say that the security measures in the dormitory are on top. To enter the dormitory and its common areas — a fitness room, a cinema room, a laundry room, a billiard room and a cafeteria, you need a key card. To enter private rooms (students' rooms and showers) — a scan of the retina. Boys and girls live in different parts of the building.

Kako is very sociable, unpretentious in everyday life. Students take turns cleaning rooms, cooking and washing dishes. The princess does not shirk. It is clear that this work is not new to her. She follows her diet and regularly visits the fitness room. But the library is more common. At the welcome party of newcomers, I communicated with students from other countries without hesitation, while for other Japanese students it was a problem. The Japanese are generally complaining about the quality of their English and accent.

The princess quickly became friends with her Norwegian roommate, and the girls are inseparable if the class schedule matches. And they have lunch together in the cafeteria, too. At drunken parties and in nightclubs, she was not noticed.

Kako prefers the company of fellow students. He communicates with young people affably, but keeps his distance. Which is not surprising if the rumors about the young man Kako is dating in Japan are true.

Insiders worry that if the administration of Leeds University reads in Japanese and stumbles upon this article, they may be expelled from the university for the invasion of the princess's personal life and stalking. But J-Prime magazine cheerfully promises that "to be continued." Apparently, the administration of the British University does not read Japanese girly magazines after all…