Attempting to draw youth, Japan’s royal family debuts Instagram. But so far, no candid photos shared

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s imperial family has made an Instagram debut with a barrage of posts, hoping to shake off their reclusive image and reach out to younger people on social media. The Imperial Household Agency, a government agency in charge of the family’s affairs, posted 60 photos and five videos showing Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako’s public appearances over the past three months. By Monday evening, their verified account had more than 270,000 followers. The Japanese royal family’s social media debut comes 15 years after Britain’s royal family joined X, formerly Twitter, in 2009.