Crown Prince Naruhito, who is educated at Oxford University and passionate about climate change issues, is likely to push the boundaries of the sedate, cloistered imperial family institution after he takes over as Emperor on Wednesday.
He and his wife, Crown Princess Masako, will bring a more global outlook to the throne, analysts say, being the first Emperor and Empress to have studied overseas.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you
