The boyfriend of Princess Mako, the niece of Japanese Emperor Naruhito, intends to pay money to his mother's former fiance in an effort to settle a long-standing money dispute, his lawyer said Monday.

The move comes after Kei Komuro expressed his resolve to marry the princess in a statement released last week. The row involves about 4 million yen ($36,600) the former fiance claims Komuro's mother owes him.

Komuro, who has been studying at Fordham University's law school in New York since August 2018, has informed the 29-year-old princess of his intention to pay settlement money, the lawyer told reporters.

Komuro, 29, has said resolving the issue through talks would be "the best choice." It is not immediately known why he has now opted to pay settlement money.

The lawyer said he does not believe that his client thinks paying the money "will directly lead to marriage."

In the 24-page statement, Komuro vowed to "correct erroneous information as much as possible," referring to news reports of a feud between his mother and her former fiance over money, including Komuro's educational expenses, which the ex-fiance shouldered but Komuro and the mother regarded as a gift.

Source: ANNnewsCH