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Prince Hisahito of the Akishino Crown Prince family has once again become embroiled in controversy over alleged abuse of royal privileges. / Imperial Household Agency official website

At Japan's University of Tsukuba, where Prince Hisahito—the eldest son of Crown Prince Akishino's family—is enrolled, discontent is mounting among students as tightened security for royal protection has restricted movement on campus.

On the 19th, Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Josei PRIME reported that controversy is brewing at the University of Tsukuba, with student dissatisfaction escalating into a petition campaign after the university recently stepped up its security apparatus by installing access gates and student ID card readers at entrances to multiple campus buildings.

Historically, the University of Tsukuba has been known for maintaining a liberal campus culture where students can freely take a wide range of courses unrestricted by their major or department. While the university promotes the founding philosophy of being a "free and open university," critics contend that the institution's liberal ethos itself is undergoing changes following Prince Hisahito's recent admission.

The controversy was sparked when the university installed security gates and student ID card scanners at the entrances of classroom buildings. As a result, students must undergo security authentication whenever moving across campus, creating significant inconveniences in getting around.

Students launched an independent media outlet, the "Tsukuba University Student Newspaper," to voice their concerns and are demanding an inquiry into the installation of the gates.

The central issue in the dispute is whether the "safety of an imperial family member" takes precedence over the "rights of ordinary students."

An official from the student newspaper claimed, "A student who independently measured and analyzed the radio frequencies emitted by the entrance gates was identified through surveillance cameras placed in undisclosed locations, summoned by the student affairs office, and interrogated in an extremely high-handed manner." The official pointed out that the university's stance and standards, which should prioritize students first, are wavering.

The controversy is deepening further as the university rejected a request from the student newspaper to disclose the financial costs incurred in installing the security gates.

Students maintain it is difficult to accept the measures without sufficient explanation as to why additional security gates and scanners were necessary for facilities that were already off-limits to outsiders, how much funding was spent, and by what criteria the necessity and effectiveness were determined.

The student newspaper demanded the complete removal of the gates and readers, stating, "It is obvious to anyone that massive sums were spent to install gates for a specific individual, surveillance cameras are recording students, and records of entering and exiting classrooms are being logged. Yet despite repeated inquiries from students, the university only replies that these are 'measures for all students,' which lacks credibility."

                                                                                                           Jeong Eun-hye