Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako became the reigning heads of the Japanese royal family, also known as the nation's imperial family, in May 2019 following the abdication of Emperor (now Emperor Emeritus) Akihito and his wife, Empress Michiko (now Empress Emeritus). The family's history is believed to date back as far as 660 BC, although it can only be verifiably traced back to 539 AD.
The Japanese royal family tree
Latest developments
Following Japanese imperial law, Princess Mako relinquished her royal title upon marrying lawyer Kei Komuro in October 2021.
For more news on the Japanese royal family, see here. Their official royal website can be found at www.kunaicho.go.jp/eindex.html