Japan’s former Princess Mako of Akishino was spotted out and about with her commoner husband, Kei Komuro, in New York City on Tuesday, nearly two months after it was revealed the aspiring lawyer had failed the bar exam for the second time.
Mako Komuro, 30, the only daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, gave up her royal title to marry her college sweetheart, Komuro, 30, last October in a small civil ceremony.
The couple, who have been living in Manhattan following their wedding, were photographed walking together during a rare sighting this week.
Japan’s former Princess Mako of Akishino, 30, enjoyed a stroll with her commoner husband, Kei Komuro, 30, in New York City on Tuesday
The outing comes nearly two months after it was revealed that Komuro failed the New York State bar exam for the second time
Mako gave up her royal title to marry her college sweetheart last October, and they have since relocated to Manhattan
Mako was dressed casually in a plain black T-shirt and baggy jeans that were cuffed at the hem — a look that has become somewhat of a uniform for her since her move to the Big Apple.
The former royal was photographed wearing a nearly identical outfit and crossbody bag while running errands back in April.
This time, she paired her black top and baggy jeans with pale green Adidas sneakers. She also had on a face mask on both occasions, though her husband has not been wearing one outside.
Komuro was dressed for work in a black suit paired with a crisp white button-down shirt that was left open at the collar and black dress shoes.
His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he carried a leather briefcase while strolling through the city with his wife. He had a smile on his face while chatting with her before they went their separate ways.
Mako, the niece of reigning Japanese Emperor Naruhito, was dressed casually in a plain black T-shirt and baggy jeans that were cuffed at the hem
She topped off her look with a pair of pale green Adidas sneakers and a crossbody bag
Mako had on a face mask while walking outside, though her husband wasn’t wearing one
Mako was later seen running errands by herself in Hell’s Kitchen, including stops at Sullivan Street Bakery and D’Agostino market.
She had a reusable Target bag slung over her shoulder, but she opted to carry her bag of goodies from the bakery in her hand while her cellphone stuck out of her back pocket.
Mako and Komuro have kept a low profile while living in a luxury one-bedroom apartment in the city, and they are believed to be financially independent.
The former princess was entitled to a $1.3 million payout from the Japanese government after giving up her noble status, but she turned it down.
Mako, the niece of reigning Emperor Naruhito, has reportedly been making use of her background in art history by serving as an unpaid volunteer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Komuro, who has been clerking at a law firm in the city, was dressed for work in a black suit paired with a white button-down shirt that was left open at the collar
His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he carried a leather briefcase while strolling through the city with his wife
Mako was later seen running errands by herself in Hell’s Kitchen, including a stop at Sullivan Street Bakery
‘She has specifically been involved in preparing an exhibition of paintings inspired by the life of a 13th-century monk who traveled throughout Japan as he introduced Buddhism,’ according to the Japan Times.
Mako has a degree in art and cultural heritage from International Christian University in Japan, where she met her husband.
She went on to study art history at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland before receiving her master’s in art museum and gallery studies from the University of Leicester in England.
‘She’s qualified and probably handling pieces in the collection. In general, it’s work which requires a great deal of preparation and often means spending a lot of time in the library,’ a former curator at the Met told People.
While she is pursuing a career in the art world, her husband has been struggling to pass the New York State Bar.
The former princess had a reusable Target bag slung over her shoulder, but she opted to carry her bag of goodies from the bakery in her hand
Mako was also seen pulling up her baggy jeans while leaving D’Agostino market on 54th Street
Mako’s long dark hair was worn loose around her shoulders and her bangs framed her face
Mako, who has an impressive background in art history, has reportedly been serving as an unpaid volunteer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Komuro graduated from Fordham University’s law school in May 2021 and landed a job clerking at Lowenstein Sandler LLP in Manhattan, where he helps counsel companies and investors on venture capital financings, mergers, and acquisitions.
The aspiring lawyer first sat for the New York State bar exam last July, three months before his wedding to Mako, but it was revealed in November that he had failed.
According to Japanese broadcaster NHK, he phoned Okuno Yoshihiko — the head of a law firm in Japan where he previously worked — to tell him he didn’t pass.
Komuro sat for the exam for the second time in February, but when the results were published online in April, his name was not included among those who had passed.
New York does not place a limit or restriction on the number of times a person may attempt to pass the exam, meaning he can take it as many times as he wants.
Mako has a degree in art and cultural heritage from International Christian University in Japan, and a master’s in art museum and gallery studies from the University of Leicester in England
Mako looked every bit the New Yorker in her T-shirt and baggy jeans, where she kept her cellphone stored in her back pocket
The look has become somewhat of a uniform for her since her move to the Big Apple. She was photographed wearing a nearly identical outfit and crossbody bag in April
Should he choose to try for a third time, he will have to wait until July of this year to re-take the exam, which is only offered twice a year.
Komuro previously worked at a bank and at a French restaurant in Japan before relocating to New York for law school. His father died when he was in elementary school, and he was raised by his widowed mother, Kayo.
He met Mako in 2013 when they were both studying at the International Christian University outside Tokyo. The couple got ‘unofficially engaged’ in 2017 and had planned on tying the knot in November 2018.
Initially, the news was greeted with delight in Japan, but then a scandal grew up when it was discovered that his mother, Kayo, had not repaid a 4 million yen ($35,000) loan from a former fiancé, partly to pay his tuition.
The controversy led critics to suggest Komuro was only marrying the princess for money or fame.
Komuro issued a 24-page statement about the money, claiming his mother believed it was a gift, not a loan. Eventually, he said he would repay it, though it is not known whether it has ever been returned.
Mako and Komuro met as students at International Christian University in 2013 and wed in small civil ceremony in October 2021 (pictured)
Mako (pictured at Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement ceremony in 2019) had to give up her titles because only male members of the imperial family are allowed to marry non-royals
Mako left her home at the Akasaka Estate in Tokyo on October 26 (pictured), and she arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York a few weeks later on November 14
A few days after she arrived in New York City, she was seen shopping for hangers and other apartment necessities at a local Bed Bath & Beyond
Despite the turmoil, Komuro and Mako’s love endured, and she announced that she was moving forward with the marriage in 2020.
‘We are irreplaceable to each other — someone to rely on during both happy and unhappy times,’ she said. ‘So a marriage is a necessary choice for us to live while cherishing and protecting our feelings.’
Only male members of the Japanese imperial family are allowed to marry commoners, and Mako had to give up more than just her royal title to wed Komuro.
She has a surname for the first time in her life following their marriage and is now known as Mako Komuro. She also had to get a passport to travel, something she didn’t need as a royal.
Mako can no longer live in the Imperial Palace, and if she and Komuro have sons, they will not be in the line of succession for the male-only emperorship. She can never return to the dynasty, even if her marriage ends in divorce.
Only three of Mako’s relatives can succeed Emperor Naruhito, 62, under the current Imperial Household Law, including his 86-year-old uncle Masahito, Prince Hitachi.
The others are Mako’s 56-year-old father, Prince Fumihito, who is the emperor’s brother, and her 15-year-old brother, Prince Hisahito.
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