Princess Kako of Akishino, a member of the Imperial House of Japan, went viral on social media on Monday when images and videos of her sleeping in economy class on a flight to Brazil surfaced online. She is the niece of Emperor Naruhito, enthroned in 2019. 

The princess was visiting the South American nation to attend public events marking the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Users online responded to the video by praising her humility in choosing to travel economy despite being royalty.

Having visited four different sites before boarding the flight, the Princess could be seen asleep, with her head resting on the window. The South China Morning Post quoted a user as saying, “She looked like a porcelain doll. It is completely understandable to feel tired with such a packed schedule.”

 

Contradictory reactions to the video

While users responded with appreciation, the Imperial Household Agency (IHA), the Imperial Household Agency (IHA), a government agency attending to the matters concerning the royal family, disapproved of the leak. Naomasa Yoshida, the top official at the agency, said, “In general, it is not desirable to have videos taken without permission during an individual's private moments.”

The Agency has reportedly asked X (formerly Twitter) to examine if the video violated user guidelines.

Becoming “the hope of Japan”

Princess Kako has previously completed official trips to Austria and Hungary. She has gained more prominence since her elder sister, Princess Mako Komuro, wed her college sweetheart and gave up her royal title in 2021. She is often praised for her beauty and dedication, with the media describing her as “the hope of Japan”.

The princess has a keen interest in academics as well as sports. She studied performing arts and psychology at the University of Leeds, and is also a figure skater holding a district competition in 2007. She has been praised for her sense of fashion, and is also an advocate for Japanese Sign Language (JSL).