"The Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne", Empress Masako's Life Story (Part 1)

On May 1, 2019, Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in Japan, marking the official beginning of the "Reiwa" era. At the same time, Japan welcomed a new Empress, Masako Owada.
Harvard and Oxford-educated, a female diplomat fluent in multiple languages, pursued by the Crown Prince for 7 years, battling depression and suitability disorders, these are all labels associated with Masako.
From a top-tier school's outstanding student to a promising diplomat, and then to a depressed Crown princess, what has happened in the life of Masako Owada over the years? In this video, I will introduce the life story of "The Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne", Masako Owada.

[@もちゃこ-s1e]

雅子様の才能を無駄にし、心をひどく傷つけたことは本当に悔しい。情報脆弱で国民まで雅子様を傷つけた。もっと外交で輝いてほしい。どうか１日も早く今上天皇御一家がちゃんと大切にされる皇室になりますように。 敬宮様という素晴らしいお子様をお育てくださって本当にありがとうございます。優しい心の人間がちゃんと評価される、まともな国になってほしい。

[@Jean-mq3yi]

How about the issue of Comfort Women 😔😭

[@jtkomet]

Most Japanese know what happened to then-Princess Masako after she married Crown Prince and entered the Royal Family and became depressed for decades. Her mother-in-law Empress Michiko, who had been in the spotlight for a long time and was deeply jealous of Masako's brain, language skills, brilliant career, and most of all, for taking the spotlight from herself, relentlessly abused her both verbally and emotionally. Especially, Michiko preferred her other son's wife Kiko who gave birth to a boy "the heir" to the throne, as an excuse to bully Masako. Now that Michiko has retired, Masako became Empress and has some better health looking pretty. However, the controversy continues in Japan, because Masako's daughter Princess Aiko is incredibly intelligent, thoughtful, and graceful, while the supposed "heir" Price Hisahito is not smart at all. l But his mom Kiko is trying to make him "look" so competent - as a result, he has been accused of plaigiarism and having someone else write an academic journal article with his own name as the main author, etc. Who wants a cheating lying brat as our head? In this area of gender equality, Japan SHOULD CHANGE THE OUTDATED LAW so that Princess Aiko, the only blood and truely deserving child of Emperor and Empress, can be the next Empress - or Female Emperor of Japan, should I say?

[@sampuatisamuel9785]

My goodness what a lot of vitriol from you.

[@bravefaery135]

@@sampuatisamuel9785 Not really

[@わんこ-i2k]

@@sampuatisamuel9785 事実です　天皇になろうとしている宮家は税金を湯水のように使います メディアもこの宮家に忖度し事実がわかりません　日本の憲法に書かれている国民の象徴とは程遠いのです

[@tinh_lai_ivietnam5253]

@jtkomet The Japanese don't want to adapt to your golden standard. Sad.

[@alex-nade]

Source: I made it the fuck up 😂😂

[@hidewospecial]

A word in honor of Empress Masako. Empress Masako's grandfather, Mr. Egashira, was not involved in Minamata disease. After Minamata disease was discovered, Chisso Corporation fell into financial difficulty. He was dispatched by the Industrial Bank of Japan, the main bank of Chisso Corporation, to become president. He turned the company around and contributed to negotiations with Minamata disease victims.

[@kirarariri]

水俣病は皿美智子がありもしない事を雅子様敬宮様に攻撃していましたよ!

[@rococo9342]

雅子さまが日本の皇后さまで本当に良かったです。 聡明で気さくでお綺麗で、これからも皇后さまがお元気で皇室外交される事を願っております。

[@glorialsloh8334]

I passionately support your good + kind wishes for Empress Masako. Besides, as a diplomat, I am sure she is kind.

[@jessicaaguilar6435]

I do wish your daughter will become the emperor/ empress of Japan coz a leader must be intelligent, wise and true!

[@GoogleUser-ee8ro]

she was more or less forced into marrying the prince by Japanese bureaucrats and politicians. She's probably touched by his perseverance and liked him, but not enough to give up her life-long freedom and independence if she's not forced. The long years she fought and struggled to free herself from this foreseeable troublesome marriage cost her the chance of producing a male heir, which then led more misery and tragedy to her life. Poor girl, she really did her best.

[@GoogleUser-ee8ro]

i think if he could do it again, he probably would let her go in the first place, because he loved her. Lesson learned for crown princes or higher ranked members of royal family, don't destroy the person you love with your love. Love is easy, coping with a life one does not like for a lifetime is hard.

[@kindlyignore]

you are right. It's understood that had she not agreed to marry him, her and her Father's diplomat careers would have been impacted. I think her husband over-estimated his ability to drive change and protect her.

[@user-pe8il6pd2v]

It's sad that in 2024 the focus is still a male heir. It really explains the birth decline in Japan.

[@tinh_lai_ivietnam5253]

No one can force her. Remember. She is an educated person. The love of the country and the love for her husband cement the marriage. She is under pressure, of course. Look at the Britain royal family. Is Princess Catherine not under pressure? She is a Japanese citizen. She must know her role. Her father is a diplomat. I wish she would take it lightly and thought if she doesn't have a male child, the throne will go to her husband's brother's son. Accept that to live. They don't want to go through fertility treatment to save the situation. Maybe that's the tradition of Japanese.

[@esmeraldagreen1992]

If they went through fertility treatment, it would mean that they are not " perfect" and they think it would ruin their public image in Japan. Americans over share everything about themselves their "battle with this" and struggle with that" not every culture or person like to do that

[@ShinbiBelldandy]

I believe Naruhito loves Masako, but the rigid traditions destroyed her. Instead of utilizing her strengths & intelligence, they pushed her down to fit in their box. She’s the Japanese version of Princess Diana. Hopefully she gets a happier ending.

[@juanchoresultay2704]

Honestly every consort of the emperor is somewhat a curse cause they often get harassed by the media and pressure 😢

[@fccdx]

Oh please. Diana never had the intelligence of Masako. She even could not finish her high school. And she loved being the princeess of England at first. It was Charles who never loved Diana and ignored her and that devastated her. It was not that her intelligence and ability were wasted like Masako.

[@JaneWombman-fn6ck]

​@@fccdxDiana humanized them tho. She was integral to elevating the emotional intelligence and public relations of the Royal Family. They wasted that by killing her and now everyone hates them. Big L

[@emippe226]

The fundamental difference between Empress Masako and Princess Diana is that they were the couple who deeply respected and loved each other. His Majesty was by her side when she was suffering the most and always supported her. The two are a very loving couple.

[@cristinacalheiros8311]

Absolutely!!! 👍👏👏

[@oxAkatsubakixo]

She was shining brightly. That’s why the current emperor was attracted with her. She sacrificed her life. 🥺

[@lucylocket420]

WOW what a waste of a brilliant mind x

[@tinh_lai_ivietnam5253]

She accepted. Royal family has its own burden. You look at all royal families around the world and you can find ton of gossips can be made. Look at England royal family with many outstanding stories beginning with Queen Elizabeth is NOT the child of King but from an adulteries of her mother. The England's thrown should belong to someone else. The stories of and Prince Phillip, King Charles, Princess Dianna and so on. They are more troublesome than Japaneses royal family by ton. To me Japanese royal family is more respectful and that makes people jealous.

[@Sango-po5pi]

Masako is obviously too smart, roo educated and too multi talented for the job of Empress under thebpfesent system, where she is expected to just be quite, live an elegant life, and have no personality viaible to the public whatsoever. Sad. Id go insane. Its amazing she's pulled through this far.

[@sachi.2896]

「水俣…」については銀行から「被害者救済の為出向されました」 皇后雅子様の御先祖には 日本の為に尽力を尽くしたとして「明治天皇」より白鞘を下賜る方もおりました。 そして昭和天皇の侍従を御務めた方もおります 皇后様の御父上は「昭和天皇」の通訳者として数多く同行しておりました。 昔から皇族と繋がりもありそれを妬む方がいたのかもです。

[@nyantapipontikinobinobi5246]

皇太子は雅子様をちゃんと彼のできる限りの守ったと思います。

[@StamperWendy]

What a great love story, thank you! I love tradition, pomp & circumstance!

[@melaniekarel9610]

She is gorgeous.❤

[@kdcm6690]

First they reject her, then they strong arm her to marry him. That's the sad thing about it, the timing. They should have married when she was younger and hadn't built a life she enjoyed, but they didn't want her then. Later they ripped her away from a career she had built herself. Then they bullied her and disrespected her. The Japanese Royal Family are declining anyway, so few descendants, and nobody wants to marry into it. If I were her I would not have married a guy shorter and dumber but she probably had no choice.

[@AlisonOhta]

Please pronounce her name correctly it is MASAKO not MOSOKO

[@marinauk7629]

2:26 Pain to hear her name pronounced INCORRECTLY as MOSOKO. If she COULD CHECK HOW her Name IS PRONOUNCED MA (like in Malasia), SA (like Sack) then KO.

[@OLIWIA647]

Wszystkie królowe żyją takim życiem jakiego my nie znamy, wypowiadanie się na ten temat jest niestosowne. KRÓLOWA MASAKO👑❤️jest piękną i mądrą królowa.

[@RobertPahlavi-ko4gj]

He pursued her for 15+ years. Flowers and purses of love notes 🎶 from the mountain top.

[@lamariposa5919]

So beautiful ❤

[@lingoh814]

Interesting content. But you would think one could get the pronunciation of the subject of the entire video right. Her name is said, completely wrongly, hundreds of times. It quickly becomes very jarring.

[@butterflybeatles]

After a couple of minutes the background music starts wearing on the nerves.

[@Ozm123]

Hi I have a video suggestion could u do a video on zehra hanzade sultan and her sisters

[@HKim0072]

Really feels like Japanese society lost: Masako could have been a groundbreaking person if she stayed in civilian life. Her talents are being underutilized as part of the Royal family.

[@mizamiyzk7504]

彼女の裏には、何時も父親がいて、サポート。彼女の経歴は、怪しい。

[@safaa9654]

I wonder why she said yes

[@merryfergie]

Ouch. Somewhat if a painful story.

[@lordwinderemere]

Its not Mosoko its Masako !!

[@marifujisawa2942]

😂😂😂

[@SuperStella1111]

It’s AI

[@aprianto1985]

Great story and good to learn it

[@handekmessiah1112]

The more I see her, the more I like her. Masako is natural, sincere, elegant looking and charismatic. But I think I can spot her misfortune and what, in no small part, was the cause of her severe depression. Being a royalty requires a bit of play acting and I notice that this woman cannot act in front of camera to save her life! She cannot fake her emotions and very often, she couldn't hide her emotions in public. In Japanese society that is probably a no-no. She also seems very sensitive and emotional, therefore a disaster in the eyes of the tough conservative society like the Japanese one. But it's easy to understand why Westerners like her. For us, this is one very attractive and smart woman. But for conservative Japanese men and women, she's probably not ultra-polite and modest enough. Added to that, the tremendous pressure to have an heir to the Throne which she failed to do and her every movements being scrutinised by people and the media. I cannot fathom the suffering she's been through. When the Emperor is gone (hopefully not in the near future as he's very devoted to her), I hope she can be herself and live in peace somewhere, freely and with nothing to be ashamed of. Reply

[@zontikmoi]

По нумерологии, она очень много говорит и бойкий характер.

[@uussgg]

自動翻訳なのかな？タイトルの「生涯」は人生が既に閉じた人に使う単語です。生きてる人の場合は「半生」などがいいのでは

[@solotraveller888]

Who is MOOOSOOOKOW?

[@ほっとミルク-l3b]

雅子様は聖心女子学院の卒業生ではないです。関係ないのになぜ聖心の写真が使われているのですか。

[@pumpupjam9648]

The present Emperor of Japan, has one daughter. She is heir queen, but her uncle, had a son, and he know is heir. The little boy pulls rank over the daughter of the present Emperors daughter. I hope she finds a suitable make, and or gives her all to her causes if she remains single.

[@オリハルコン-t8m]

和訳スクリプトに複数箇所誤植があります。雅子様とすべき処を正子様となっておりますね。

[@suriyanarayananjanakiraman1127]

Hailing from a Diplomatic family Member with pure intentions of developing international relations, laws, is destined to be Royal Imperial family Member at the instance of Prince who set his eyes on her, to be a supportive with him in making improved relations and decisions in international arena and projection of host nation contribution to international participation in promoting welfare of all living beings in a reasonably acceptable way among all learned members on global audience, coordinating with Royal Monarchy of United Kingdom who were covering almost all parts of world 🌎

[@norafalvey1775]

Beautiful Princess ❣️

[@yukienagai448]

Pais, deixem seus filhos escolherem a pessoa com a qual querem viver/casar.

[@adelialm8050]

The background music is so distracting and disturbing 😢

[@boblowney]

I think it was her "inappropriateness" deemed by the imperial bureaucracy that drove the now emperor to pursue her. He saw in her an accomplished independent woman who might broaden his life. And she was seduced I think, ultimately, by the idea of becoming an empress. Who wouldn't be? An ultimate gilded cage.

[@serunismt]

No wonder Masako got depressed. Poor woman ❤

[@湯浅龍太郎-q3z]

残念ですが、なんだかネガティブな痛い物語に語られてました。 ある種の悪意を感じてしまいました。 まるで、上皇后陛下やAの宮達のネガキャンペーンに似てて残念です。

[@jocelynen3267]

Poor lady

[@RobertPahlavi-ko4gj]

Who was involved in the "joy luck club" Abuses and crimes in Chicago and other cities ? #Chinatown #Chicagopolice #bandai #lawyer

[@noelleyang8147]

We never knew we never needed independence. We need knew independence

[@leoragaster4592]

if you could only pronounce her name properly! It is irritating that you are not even trying phonetically - It is Ma SA ko !

[@BeautiPateksameDay]

She cannot use the same id as mine in Japan like in Singapore. SHE MET HER HUSBAND THERE AT THE SHARING HOUSE DORM. My ID is Mikimoto's because of SISI QUANTUM. NHK INTERVIEW IN 1984.

[@patriciak6300]

La pauvre Masako, elle était dans une prison Dorée Trop de tradition ancestrale😢

[@อรวรรณ-บ3ฤ]

จะเกิดรวยจนแต่คนต้องมีเรื่องราวแต่ฉันชอบคนรักกันมันดีใจฟูลองทำด

[@dellakwan7263]

Barbie Mississauga accountant actor looks just like 日王

[@emippe226]

The only country on earth that cannot help but want to denigrate the Japanese Imperial Family. Keep reminding yourself that it was Syngman Lee who abolished the Lee dynasty, not Japan. Because Syngman Lee was made president by the United States, which was under their trusteeship.

[@jasperherr8694]

She could have become the first female prime minister of Japan

[@SaraNeuss]

it was a mistake to marry him

[@angiep.4362]

These men have ruined these women’s lives

[@사필귀정-j7f]

♡♡♡♡♡

[@nibanboshi61]

The narrator repeatedly pronounced MA SA KO to Mosuko 😢😢😢

[@christopherchin9896]

No one is allowed to be ownself, no one stand out in JAPAN but to be one among the society.

[@saltandlight2717]

Hey thank you for sharing this video!! I just want to share you that there is always love, hope, forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Jesus. If you come to Him with a sincere and humble repented heart, He can save you and forgive you and give you abundance of joy, love and peace and eternal life. Believe in Jesus: He is The Son of God, He died for our sins and He rose from the dead, Believe in Jesus. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” -Romans 10:9 Repent and Believe in Jesus.

[@hayabusayamabuki7325]

囚人と表現する事を改めて欲しいですね😤 其れだけが、残念です 。

[@freaksy2073]

Empress Michiko suffered the same fate,mainly orchestrated by her mother in law Empress Nagako who acted beastly towards her as she considered her unworthy to marry into the royal family.

[@karensayer3089]

And she treated Masako the same way.No sympathy.

[@XevLexa]

⁠@@karensayer3089I would have thought that Empress Michiko be more supportive of her daughter in law given what she went through with Empress Nagako.

[@per7857]

美智子は皇族に相応しい立ち居振る舞いをしなかっからね。 美智子が雅子皇后陛下を虐めたのは嫉妬のため。

[@emperor0001]

しかし、皇室に嫁して、鬱に成り、一緒を終える？…其れを、削合わせと捉える人もいるんだね？

[@hyeseung68]

아까우신 분

[@orosiaabadias5876]

A ella la obligaron a casarse con el principe, este no es mas que un mal criado que a pesar de no ser correspondido, forzó el matrimonio y presionó a toda la familia de ella...m parece asqueroso..

[@KM-gogo]

安倍晋三元総理ありがとうございます❣️

[@bymc9888]

Horrid dresses!

[@orosiaabadias5876]

Masako nunca quiso casarse con el principe que es un egoista y un narcisista.

[@marifujisawa2942]

Y porque se caso😅?

[@marifujisawa2942]

She must’ve felt very entitled to herself and to thought there wouldn’t have anyone on her level to comply to her status. She married for status, not love. It was her choice, and now she’s paying that price.

[@ΕιρήνηΚυριαζή-β9λ]

It wasn't her choice, she was forced to do it, everybody knows it. She said "no" to his proposals 2-3 times.

[@marifujisawa2942]

@@ΕιρήνηΚυριαζή-β9λ well, what made her say “yes”, if it wasn’t her choice?🤦🏼

[@ΕιρήνηΚυριαζή-β9λ]

@@marifujisawa2942 read her story and you will have your answers.

[@SCBlahBLah]

@@marifujisawa2942politicians who pressured her and her family. It was all over the news in the 80’s and 90’s

[@luningningcoroza6455]

​@@marifujisawa2942You seriously thought that palace pressure would not make her father give in? And if I may ask, who would want to ask her for marriage, if the crown Prince is in contention? Beside, older generations like her father had huge respect to the Emperor and saying NO is not an answer he would like to hear

[@CherryWindsorchids]

Masoko sama kerei des ni…!…🥰🤩😍…!