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The 27-year-old unveiled her fiancé Kei Moriya, 32, to the world and announced their wedding will take place on October 29 at the Meiji Jingu shrine in Tokyo.
Princess Ayako is the second of her kind to marry a commoner in a two-year period after following Princess Mako, Emperor Akihito’s oldest grandchild, who last September announced plans to tie the knot with college classmate Kei Komuro in 2020.
As with all women in her family, the princess will lose her royal status after marrying Mr Moriya, who works for shipping firm NYK Line, as part of a law that does not apply to male members of the family.
Princess Ayako, the youngest daughter of Emperor Akihito’s late cousin Prince Takamado, told the Japan Times she fell in love with her fiancé’s “kind, smart and decisive personalty” when her mother introduced them in December last year.
She said: “I don’t know what my mother’s intentions were in introducing him to me, but as the two of us went to various places together and shared our time and memories, we became naturally drawn to each other.
“I think we were able to come this far thanks to the wonderful ties started by our mothers.”
Female members of the Imperial family have no claim to the Chrysanthemum Throne as men are able to marry commoners and can keep their royal status.
But as few of Emperor Akihito’s children and grandchildren are male, there is a shortage of heirs to the throne.
Prince Naruhito will succeed Emperor Akihito as his eldest son.
The Japanese monarchy has an unbroken 2,600-year-long line of male succession.
News of Princess Ayako’s engagement comes ahead of Princess Eugenie’s royal wedding to Jack Brooksbank.
Unlike her Japanese counterpart, she will retain her royal status after the pair marry in October at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, the same venue Prince Harry and Meghan tied the knot in front of millions on May 19.
Princess Ayako will also marry Mr Moriya in October this year.
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