Japan's Princess Yuriko, the Oldest Member of the Imperial Family ...

Princess Yuriko, the oldest member of the Japanese Imperial Family, passed away on Friday, November 15 at age 101.

The cause of her death was old age, the Imperial Household Agency said, with Japanese papers reporting she had been experiencing deteriorating health since last week, and had been hospitalized since early March due a stroke and pneumonia. "I cannot help but feel saddened to hear of the loss. I extend my heartfelt condolences along with other Japanese citizens," Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a statement.

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Prince Mikasa, youngest brother of the Emperor of Japan, and his bride, Princess Mikasa, the former Miss Yukio Takagi.

Princess Yuriko, born Yuriko Takagi in 1923 to a noble family in Tokyo, married Prince Mikasa, the younger brother of Emperor Hirohito, in October 1941. During her life, she was honorary vice president of the Japanese Red Cross Society, and president of the Imperial Gift Foundation Boshi-Aiiku-Kai, an organization promoting maternal and child health.

"Since her marriage, [Princess Yuriko] had supported Prince Mikasa, and, as a member of the imperial family, had contributed to a wide range of fields such as medical care, welfare, culture, sports and international friendships," Prime Minister Ishiba said. "In particular, she had been involved in the maternal and child care program for many years and had devoted herself to it."

Princess Yuriko was predeceased by her husband, who died in 2016 at age 100, and three sons, Princes Tomohito, Katsura, and Takamado. She is survived by two daughters, and numerous grandchildren. Three of her granddaughters remain in the Imperial Family; two gave up their titles after marrying commoners. Per the Japan Times, "Princess Yuriko was the longest-living member of the imperial family since the Meiji Era (1868-1912) and her death marks the first in the family in eight years since that of Prince Mikasa in 2016. With her death, the imperial family is now made up of 16 people."

The Japanese Imperial Family will now enter a formal mourning period; the Emperor's family will be in mourning for five days, and the Mikasa family will be in mourning for 30 days. Princess Yuriko's main funeral ceremony, the "Renso-no-gi" rite, will take place at Toshimagaoka Cemetery in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward on November 26, 2024. Her granddaughter Akiko will act as the chief mourner

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.