Princess Aiko in Love? Childhood Sweetheart Beats Elite Suitors — Fans Say "Too Sweet!"

Recently, Princess Aiko, the only child of the Emperor of Japan, has been frequently linked to romance, sparking widespread public attention. As the sole daughter of the family, the 23-year-old Aiko has been pressured to marry by both the Imperial Household Agency and the media since the year she graduated from university. To prevent her from marrying a commoner like her cousin Mako did with Kei Komuro, the Japanese imperial family has repeatedly sought suitable marriage candidates of comparable background for her, but so far, no match has been found. Just as the public thought her love life was progressing slowly, Japanese media suddenly reported that Aiko had recently gone on a zoo date with her prospective boyfriend, who happens to be her childhood sweetheart. According to insiders, this was the first time the “childhood sweetheart” appeared publicly within the Japanese imperial circle, prompting many to exclaim that the two are perfectly matched!