Japan Royal Family’s Social Media Debut: Bridging Gaps

o get rid of the perception that it is aloof and inaccessible. The oldest monarchy in the world debuted on social media on Monday in an effort to

TFD – Witness Japan’s royal family breaking barriers with their social media debut, marking a significant shift towards connectivity and accessibility. Dive into the impact of this move amidst traditional values and public perceptions.

Japan’s royal family defied the recent scandal involving their British counterparts by going public on social media on Monday, hoping to dispel the notion that they are a closed-off and uninvolved family.

The historical institution’s cautious entry into social media with an Instagram account that showcases birthday parties and bonsai trees may disappoint those looking for an unfiltered look into their closed world.

By the end of its first day, the @kunaicho_jp account, which belongs to the Imperial Household Agency, a government agency in charge of the family’s affairs, had amassed more than 320,000 followers.

The account features the first three months of the year for the royal family, from a New Year’s party to a royal birthday, in 60 photos and five films that were released over the course of a few hours. Throughout, Princess Aiko, the 22-year-old daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, are shown attending ceremonies and interacting with other dignitaries.

Since the account has disabled comments on any of its posts, many Japanese people have reacted by taking to other social media sites.

“The Imperial Household Agency on Instagram. “I believed it to be an April Fool’s joke,” a member on X said. A few were taken aback by the rapid increase in followers. “It’s hard to believe that the account was just launched today,” another user said. The Japanese royal family, considered to be the world’s oldest monarchy, says it is trying to reach out to younger generations by posting on Instagram and will consider opening accounts on Facebook and X in the future.

Head of the Imperial Household Agency’s public relations office Mariko Fujiwara stated, “We hope this will deepen the understanding among young people who will lead the next generation,” as reported by Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper last week. “Since the Imperial Family is built on the consensus of the people.”

After joining X some fifteen years ago, the British royal family is now finally catching up to other royals worldwide. But as these centuries-old establishments attempt to change with the times, the past month has also highlighted the possible dangers of social media. The release of an altered photo of Kate and her kids by Kensington Palace, which was removed by prestigious photo agencies, only served to feed the rumors and conspiracy theories surrounding the Princess of Wales.

In 2021, Princess Mako, the niece of the well-liked former Emperor Naruhito, had her own royal controversy when she married a commoner and abruptly left the royal life in a scenario that was similar to that of Prince Harry and Megan, the Duchess of Sussex in Britain.

Newspaper headlines about the groom’s public disfavor were overshadowed by his mother’s financial disagreement, which caused the wedding to be postponed. In the end, Mako renounced her royal title and declined the one-time payment of roughly $1.3 million that female royals receive when they wed outside the family.

Japan’s royal family will be attempting to strike a balance between its newfound appeal to younger audiences and its longstanding support from the conservative establishment of the nation by foraying into the social media sphere.

According to Jeffrey Hall, a Japanese studies lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba, southeast of the capital Tokyo, the Imperial Household Agency is a “very conservative institution.” He told TFD News, “They would view amusing or entertaining social media posts featuring the Imperial Family as diminishing their dignity.”

According to him, the royal family is okay with reform happening slowly for the time being.

“The respectful and dignified tone of these Instagram posts will probably satisfy conservative Japanese fans of the imperial couple,” Hall continued.