Japan's Emperor-to-be Prince Naruhito's most touching family moments

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On Wednesday, Emperor Akihito of Japan announced that he would be abdicating the throne. According to Japanese law, the next-in-line will be his eldest son Prince Naruhito, who will assume the position of Emperor alongside his wife, Princess Masako. She will then become Empress Consort.
To celebrate the news, we're taking a look back at Naruhito and Masako's family life with their 14-year-old daughter Princess Aiko. Click through our gallery to see all of their moving family moments.

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On December 1, 2001, Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako welcomed their first child, Aiko, Princess Toshi. Days after the birth, the royal couple presented the young girl to the nation's media.
Photo: Getty Images

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The father-daughter duo enjoyed some bonding time together during a walk in the woods on a family holiday in Tochigi Prefecture, during the summer of 2002.
Photo: Getty Images

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Dressed in a cute blue and white onesie, Aiko played outside with her parents during a visit to their private house on the coast in Hayam.
Photo: Getty Images

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Pretty in pink. The little Princess held on tightly to her father's hand as the trio arrived at the Nagano station in central Japan. The family were on their way to their annual ski trip.
Photo: Getty Images

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Weathering the storm together, the young Princess and her father arrived at Gakushuin Kindergarten for the open house classes held for Father's Day.
Photo: Getty Images

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To celebrate the young royal's fourth birthday, the family went orange mandarin picking in the Togu Palace gardens.
Photo: Getty Images

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Like most little girls, Princess Aiko was very eager and excited to explore Tokyo's Disneyland when the family took a trip there in 2006.
Photo: Getty Images

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Family game night. Prince Naruhito celebrated his 47th birthday with his two favorite girls, playing cards at their Togu residence.
Photo: Getty Images

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Like most fathers, the Prince made sure he captured lots of precious moments in Aiko's childhood on camera, including her lively school performances.
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Completing a Japanese royal family rite of passage, Aiko dressed up in a traditional Kimono coat for the Chakkonogi ceremony. The Princess looked sweet in the pink and yellow outfit as she was accompanied into the ceremony by her proud parents.
Photo: Getty Images

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The Emperor and Empress-to-be to be watched on gleefully as their only child danced around with fellow students at her school's athletic festival in 2007.
Photo: Getty Images

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Proving that they are never too busy to walk their little girl to school, Princess Masako sweetly held hands with Aiko as the trio set off to walk to the little's Princess elementary school.
Photo: Getty Images

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During a visit to Shiosai Park in Hayama, Kanagwa, the family-of-three enjoyed a day out at a local park where they fed a pond full of carp in 2012.
Photo: Getty Images

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Prince Aiko and her father Prince Naruhito both took part in an orchestra concert for the alumni of Gakushuin University in 2013. During the concert, Aiko played the cello and her father, the viola.
Photo: Getty Images