Japanese Imperial Family to launch first social media account

The Japanese Imperial Family are set to finally have a social media presence.

The Imperial Household Agency will launch an Instagram account in April.

The account will begin posting on 1 April and cover the activities of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. It will also share images from the Imperial Palace.

The account will not allow comments or direct messages.

Maiko Fujiwara, Head of the Public Relations Office, told Japanese media that there is a simple reason for joining Instagram: “We hope to deliver information [on the Imperial Family] to young people.”

The Imperial Household Agency’s Instagram, which is currently private, can be found here.

Last year, the Public Relations Office at the Imperial Household Agency’s General Affairs Division was launched as a precursor to social media to provide up-to-date information on the royals as quickly as possible. The Public Relations Office has discussed ways to use social media and revamp the website.

Currently, images and updates are posted on the Imperial Household’s website, which is rather dated.

Their social media will be limited to Instagram with a potential for X (formerly Twitter) later on. The Public Relations Office will also decide later on if other members of the Imperial Family should be included on the social posts.

The Japanese Imperial Family has been one of the few royal families with no social media presence.