Fate of Japan's imperial dynasty rests on shoulders of 13-year-old

Hisahito's birth in 2006 was seen as a miracle by conservatives eager to preserve the males-only succession

When Japan’s youngest prince, Hisahito, visited Bhutan in August on his first overseas trip just months after his uncle Naruhito became emperor, his trip was regarded as the debut of a future monarch on the world stage.

Greeting his hosts in traditional “hakama” kimono and trying his hand at archery, the visit was rare public exposure for the boy on whose shoulders the future of the monarchy rests. Emperor Naruhito, 59, who became monarch on May 1 following the abdication of his father, Akihito, will proclaim his enthronement in an October 22 ceremony before foreign and domestic dignitaries.

Japan only allows males