Masako (雅子) is a common Japanese female given name. The most prominent bearer of this name is Empress Masako (皇后雅子, Kōgō Masako), formerly Masako Owada (小和田雅子), the current Empress consort of Japan as the wife of Emperor Naruhito.
Early Life and Education Born on December 9, 1963, in Tokyo, Masako Owada is the eldest daughter of Hisashi Owada, a high-ranking diplomat and former president of the International Court of Justice, and Yumiko Egashira. Due to her father's diplomatic postings, Masako spent much of her childhood abroad, living in Moscow, Russia, and Belmont, Massachusetts, United States.
She graduated from Belmont High School in Massachusetts in 1981 and subsequently attended Harvard University, where she majored in economics and graduated magna cum laude in 1985. She then enrolled at the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law, withdrawing to pursue a career in diplomacy. She also studied international relations at Balliol College, Oxford University, though she did not complete her MPhil degree.
Diplomatic Career In 1986, Masako Owada passed the rigorous entrance examination for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), becoming one of only three women among 800 applicants that year. She served as a junior diplomat, working in the ministry's North America Bureau and later in the Second International Organizations Division. Her work involved dealing with various international issues, including trade disputes between Japan and the United States. She was known for her intelligence, linguistic skills (fluent in English and French, proficient in German and Russian), and strong work ethic.
Marriage and Imperial Role Masako Owada first met Crown Prince Naruhito (then Prince Naruhito) in October 1986 at a reception for Infanta Elena of Spain. Naruhito was immediately smitten and pursued her. Despite initial reluctance to give up her promising diplomatic career and the freedom of her private life for the constraints of imperial duties, Masako eventually accepted his third proposal in December 1992. Their engagement was officially announced in January 1993.
The couple married on June 9, 1993, in a traditional ceremony. Following her marriage, Masako adapted to her new life as Crown Princess, studying imperial traditions and fulfilling a growing number of public duties. After a period of public pressure and intense media scrutiny regarding her failure to produce a male heir, she gave birth to their only child, a daughter, Aiko, Princess Toshi, on December 1, 2001.
In 2004, the Imperial Household Agency announced that Masako was suffering from an adjustment disorder, likely due to the significant pressures of imperial life and the expectations placed upon her. For many years, she largely withdrew from public duties, though she gradually began to increase her public appearances as her health improved.
Empress Consort Upon Emperor Akihito's abdication on April 30, 2019, and Crown Prince Naruhito's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1, 2019, Masako officially became the Empress consort of Japan. As Empress, she has embraced her role with renewed energy, often appearing alongside Emperor Naruhito at official ceremonies and public engagements. She continues to advocate for mental health awareness and uses her platform to support causes related to children's welfare and disaster relief.