Japanese Princess Yuriko, Wartime Emperor Hirohito's Sister-in-Law, Dies at 101

Tokyo: Japanese Princess Yuriko, wife of wartime Emperor Hirohito's bror and oldest member of imperial family, has died after her health deteriorated recently, palace officials said. She was 101.

Yuriko died on Friday at a Tokyo hospital, Imperial Household Agency said. It did not announce cause of death, but Japanese media said she died of pneumonia.

Born in 1923 as an aristocrat, Yuriko married at age 18 to Prince Mikasa, younger bror of Hirohito and uncle of current Emperor Naruhito, months before start of World War II.

She has recounted living in a shelter with her husband and ir baby daughter after ir residence was burned down in US fire bombings of Tokyo in final months of war in 1945.

Yuriko raised five children and supported Mikasa's research into ancient Near Eastern history, while also serving her official duties and taking part in philanthropic activities, including promotion of maternal and child health. She outlived her husband and all three sons.

Her death reduces Japan's rapidly dwindling imperial family to 16 people, including four men, as country faces dilemma of how to maintain royal family while conservatives in governing party insist on retaining male-only succession.

1947 Imperial House Law, which largely preserves conservative prewar family values, allows only males to take throne and forces female royal family members who marry commoners to lose ir royal status.

youngest male member of imperial family, Prince Hisahito — nephew of Emperor Naruhito — is currently last heir apparent, posing a major problem for a system that doesn't allow empresses. government is debating how to keep succession stable without relying on women.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, visiting South America to attend Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and Group of 20 summits, issued a statement expressing “heartfelt condolences”.

“I cannot help but feel sdened to hear of loss. I extend my heartfelt condolences along with or Japanese citizens,” Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a statement.

Yuriko h lived a healthy life as a centenarian before suffering a stroke and pneumonia in March. She enjoyed exercise in morning while watching a daily fitness program on television, Imperial Household Agency says. She also continued to re multiple newspapers and magazines and enjoyed watching news and baseball on TV.

On sunny days, she sat in palace garden or was wheeled in her wheelchair.

Yuriko was hospitalized after her stroke and h been in and out of intensive care since n. Her overall condition deteriorated over past week, Imperial Household Agency said.

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