Jan 13, 2010, 12:03 GMT
Japan's Prince Tomohito of Mikasa has been hospitalised for alcoholism treatment.
The 67-year-old prince - a cousin of Emperor Akihito - has reportedly undergone five such stints in medical facilities since last June, most recently just last month at a hospital different to the one where he currently is.
Tomohito - who has undergone several operations for cancer treatment since 1991 - first spoke publicly about his battle with alcoholism in July 2007.
He confessed: "I'm Prince Tomohito, the alcoholic. I've been drinking heavily since I was a college student, and I don't want you to think I just developed the problem."
Tomohito - the eldest son of Prince Mikasa and Princess Yuriko - previously said he went public about his problems because "there is nothing to hide", despite the embarrassment he was said to have brought on the Imperial household.
He said his problems worsened over recent years because of family problems and the controversy he caused over comments he said about the possibility of the imperial succession law changing to allow a female emperor.
In 2005, he claimed Japan should exhaust all options before allowing a woman to ascend the throne.
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