A Century of Royal Legacy: Remembering Princess Yuriko

Princess Yuriko, the oldest member of Japan's imperial family, died at 101. Born in 1923, she married Prince Mikasa and lived through the war, supporting historic research and family duties. Her passing highlights the challenges facing the imperial succession due to Japan's male-only throne laws.

Japanese Princess Yuriko, the oldest member of the imperial family, passed away at 101 following a recent decline in her health, according to the Imperial Household Agency. Although officials did not specify the cause of death, Japanese media attributed it to pneumonia.

Yuriko was born in 1923 and wed Prince Mikasa, the younger sibling of wartime Emperor Hirohito, just before World War II erupted. The couple endured hardships during the war, including living in a shelter after their residence was destroyed in fire bombings in Tokyo in 1945.

The princess contributed to her husband's research and fulfilled royal duties, raising five children and outliving her husband and three sons. Her death underscores Japan's succession dilemma, as conservative policies restrict the throne to males, challenging the monarchy's future stability.

(With inputs from agencies.)