Prince Tomohito of Mikasa

Prince Tomohito of Mikasa (寛仁親王) was a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the eldest son of Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa.

He was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito, and was formerly sixth in the line of succession to the Japanese throne and the heir apparent to the princely house of Mikasa-no-miya and the title "Prince Mikasa".

Prince Tomohito was the first member of the Imperial House of Japan with a full beard since Emperor Meiji, thus earning him the popular nickname of the "Bearded Prince" (ヒゲの殿下 Hige no Denka).

Prince Tomohito was born on 5 January 1946 at Prince Mikasa's family home.

He graduated from the Department of Political Studies in the Faculty of Law of Gakushuin University in 1968.

From 1968 – 1970, he studied at Magdalen College, University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom.

For the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics, Prince Tomohito served as a committee member on the organizing committee from 1970 until 1972.

He was also on the committee for the 1975 Okinawa World Fair.

The Prince became engaged to Miss Nobuko Asō on 21 May 1980.

She is the third daughter of the late Takakichi Asō, chairman of Asō Cement Co., and his wife, Kazuko, the daughter of former Prime Minister, Shigeru Yoshida.

She is also the sister of former Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tarō Asō.

The couple married on 7 November 1980.

Miss Asō was given the title HIH Princess Tomohito of Mikasa.

The Prince and Princess had two daughters:

The family lived in a compound within the Akasaka Estate complex, in Moto-Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo.

They had previously visited Turkey in 1990 as part of the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of Japan-Turkey relations.

The Prince was first diagnosed with cancer in 1991, but later went into remission.

In December 1992, the Prince and Princess visited the United States to support a newly established cancer ward in the New York Medical College, and in 1994, visited Hawaii to support the reconstruction of Kuakini Hospital.

In February 1994, the Prince and Princess visited Norway to attend the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.

In April 1998, the Prince and Princess visited Turkey to attend the opening ceremony of the Turkey-Japan Foundation Cultural Centre.

In June 1998, Prince Tomohito visited Australia for fundraising activities for a medical science foundation to commemorate the Australian Nobel Prize winner Dr. Howard Walter Florey.

Prince Tomohito was president and honorary president of various organizations that concerned themselves with cancer research (the Princess Takamatsu Cancer Research Fund), having himself suffered from the disease from 2003, youth education and promotion of international relations.

He was also noted for his support of organizations which promoted the welfare of people with physical or mental disabilities through sporting activities, such as skiing, bowling, dancing and rugby.

He traveled extensively abroad with the princess on charity, and support missions that concerned matters of illness and welfare.

The Prince often gave lectures and contributed articles to national newspapers and magazines, and had also authored seven books.

The Prince strongly supported the establishment of a Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology at the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan, and returned to Turkey again in October 2002, June 2003 and October 2003 leading three groups of benefactors on tours of the heritage of Turkey.

In April 2003, Prince Tomohito visited Norway accompanied by his daughter, Princess Akiko to attend the World Cross Country Ski Championships for the Visually Disabled.

He appeared on the radio as a DJ in his younger days.

He was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx in 2003, and immediately began treatment for it.

In September 2006, he fractured his jaw, which had been weakened by his chemotherapy treatments.

In 2007, the Prince made a public announcement that he was suffering from alcoholism, and was undergoing treatments at the Imperial Household Agency hospital.

In March 2008, his cancer spread to his pharynx, and he underwent surgery.

Although attempts were made to save his voice, he subsequently suffered from pneumonia caused by his inability to properly swallow food, and was thereafter only able to speak with the aid of a mechanical larynx.

In October 2009, his wife separated her residence from him and their children.

He died of cancer on 6 June 2012, aged 66.

On 6 June 2012, the Prince died from multiple organ failure at the Sasaki Institute Kyoundo Hospital in Tokyo, aged 66.

He had been hospitalized for some time, as a result of his multiple cancer diagnoses.

Around 660 people attended his funeral, which was held at the Toshimagaoka Imperial Cemetery.

In December of the same year, he visited Thailand to attend the 13th Asian Games.

In June 2013, the Imperial Household Agency stated that they had integrated his family into the household led by his father.