In 2017, then Princess Mako and her boyfriend announced their plan to marry.

S/ Princess Mako (25) / I think I was first drawn to his smile which is as bright as the sun.

S/ Komuro Kei (25) / She looks over me quietly, like the moon.

Little did they know that their plan would soon hit a snag.

The two finally got married four years later.

S/ Komuro Mako (30) / For me, Kei is an irreplaceable presence. And for us, marrying was a choice necessary for us to live our lives while cherishing our heart.

S/ Komuro Kei (30) / I love Mako. You only live once, and I want to spend my life with the person I love.

After overcoming obstacles and postponements, they tied the knot and moved to the United States.

Another four years later, the Imperial Household Agency announced that the Komuros had their first child, the first grandchild for Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko.

S/ Nurse (50s) / I congratulate them from the bottom of my heart.

S/ Self-employed (20s) / I've seen the two of them on the news from a long time ago, and it's wonderful that they had a child.

S/ Company employee (50s) / Considering their situation, I think there must have been various opinions, but I hope they will make a family that suits them.

The Komuros now live in the New York suburbs.

Mako had been a target of public interest since her birth in 1991 as the first grandchild of then Emperor Akihito.

She also gained attention surrounding her eventual marriage to Komuro following criticism from some circles after revelations of financial issues involving Komuro’s mother and her former fiance.

Under the imperial house law, female members of Japan's imperial family lose their imperial status when they marry commoners.

That is why the Imperial Household Agency had not given updates about their lives until news about their first child on May 30.

Yoshida Naomasa, a senior agency official in charge of the current crown prince's family, said that he decided to announce that Mako had given birth because some media organizations reported about it.

He did not say when the baby was born or what its gender is, explaining that the agency does not know the details.

The last time the agency issued information about Mako was in 2021, when it revealed that she was suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder due to media and public scrutiny over her marriage plans.

When Mako got married, her parents said in a statement that they hope the newlyweds will build a happy family in their own ways.

The agency said the crown prince and crown princess have rejoiced at the news of their first grandchild and are wishing for happiness for their elder daughter's family.

With only a handful of male heirs left in the imperial family, the issue of Japan's imperial succession and the role of female imperial family members, including former ones who have married out, have long been a subject of debate in Japan.