Princess Kako, the niece of Emperor Naruhito, turned 28 on Thursday, having spent the past year actively taking on the official duties of her older sister Mako Komuro, who left the imperial family after getting married to a commoner.
The younger daughter of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko has expressed hopes that society will evolve into one where people are offered a wider range of choices in life to realize their full potential, according to the Imperial Household Agency.
"This hope appears to be strengthening as (the princess) experiences various things in life," her attendants said.
Resuming visits to regional areas that were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the princess attended an urban greenery fair in Hokkaido in July and a sign-language contest for high school students in Tottori Prefecture in September.
She also attended Girl Scouts events in Nagano Prefecture and Tokyo in August and October, respectively, where she was encouraged by efforts being made by younger generations to realize gender equality and tackle environmental issues, according to the agency.
Princess Kako has been actively engaging in duties left by her sister, as she took over as honorary president of the Japan Tennis Association and president of the Japan Kogei Association. She also attended urban green infrastructure events that her sister used to attend.
Mako Komuro, 31, moved to the United States after marrying Kei Komuro in October last year.