TOKYO: Japan’s royal family made a debut on Instagram with a barrage of posts on Monday, hoping to shake off their reclusive image and reach out to younger people on social media. The Imperial Household Agency, a government agency in charge of the family’s affairs, posted 60 photos and five videos showing Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako’s public appearances over the past three months. The agency said it wanted the public to have a better understanding of the official duties of Japan’s royal family and that Instagram was chosen because of its popularity among youth.
By Monday evening, their verified account Kunaicho_jp had more than 270,000 followers.
The first photo published was of the imperial couple sitting on a sofa with their 22-year-old daughter Princess Aiko, all smiling as they marked New Year’s Day. Other postings also included the Imperial couple’s meetings with foreign dignitaries, including Brunei Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah his wife.
A video of Naruhito addressing well-wishers during his February 23 birthday celebrations garnered over 21,000 views in less than a day.
So far, the images are limited to the family’s official duties and do not include private or candid moments. The agency said it was considering adding activities of other royal members.
The account doesn’t follow anyone nor interact with the public. Users can’t comment on posts and can only press the “like” button. Those who want to send messages to the imperial family have to use the official website.
The Japanese imperial family’s social media debut comes 15 years after Britain’s royal family joined X, formerly Twitter, in 2009.
Naruhito’s father, Emperor Emeritus Akihito — who abdicated the throne in 2019 — and his wife were popular during their time. But currently, the royal family’s fans largely belong to older generations.
Palace officials had been considering using social media to get more people interested in the family and their activities. Last year, the agency set up a team of experts to study the effects of using social media on the imperial family.
With inputs from AP
