By Kounosu1 – File:The New Year Greeting 2011 at the Tokyo Imperial Palace.jpg – Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33377227

A Japanese royal is set to undergo surgery.

Prince Hitachi, 87, will undergo ureteral stone surgery at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Tokyo.

The surgery will take place on 20 March and will consist of breaking apart the stones.

According to the Imperial Household Agency, the uncle of Emperor Naruhito is not in any pain from the stones. He is spending his days as usual, and the stones have not caused any interruption in his daily activities.

Prince Hitachi was hospitalised in early March as a precautionary measure after a high fever. The Imperial Household Agency said the royal was hospitalised due to his advanced age.

He suffered from a stuffy and runny nose but tested negative for the flu and COVID-19.

The royal first visited the hospital on 28 February with close to a 37 C fever; he returned home when the fever reduced but was forced to return to the hospital when his fever got to 38 C.

He was discharged on 5 March.

Prince Hitachi is the younger brother of Emperor Emeritus Akihito; Hitachi will turn 88 in November.

The Prince is in third and last place in the Japanese line of succession that bars women from the throne.