HONOLULU — The Japanese government has announced Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko will visit Hawaii for the first time next month.
Prince Fumihito, the second son of Japan’s Emperor Akihito, and his wife, Princess Kiko, are expected to visit Oahu from June 4 to June 8, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported .
Deputy Consul General of the Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu, Takayuki Shinozawa, said the visit is to build connections with Japanese abroad.
“It’s approved by the cabinet,” Shinozawa said. “We’re all so excited.”
The couple will visit sites on Oahu but will not travel to neighbor islands.
The announcement came shortly after a media briefing Monday for the upcoming commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants moving to Hawaii.
Fumihito is the second son of Japan’s Emperor Akihito, who announced in December that he would step down from the Chrysanthemum Throne on April 30, 2019.
Akihito will be succeeded by his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito.
Prince Fumihito, 52, would then ascend to the role of crown prince.