Princess Ayako and her fiance-to-be have jointly met with reporters after Japan's Imperial Household Agency formally announced plans for their engagement.
The 27-year old princess is the third daughter of the late Prince Takamado, Emperor Akihito's cousin. Her prospective fiance, Kei Moriya, aged 32, works for major shipping firm Nippon Yusen.
They appeared together at a televised news conference at the household agency in Tokyo on Monday.
Princess Ayako first referred to last month's earthquake in northern Osaka, western Japan, that left 5 people dead and many injured. She said she prays for the repose of those that passed away, and that she is praying that life in the affected areas will return to normal as soon as possible.
Asked how she feels at present, the princess said she is happy to be making this announcement, while at the same time becoming increasingly aware of the gravity of their decision.
She reflected on her first meeting with Moriya in December, saying they "hit it off" immediately and enjoyed talking to each other for a long time. She added that as they continued to meet, she found herself attracted to Moriya for being a kind, smart and decisive man.
Source: ANNnewsCH
