A FORMER Oxford student who was once refused entry to a bar because his jeans were deemed too casual is about to become Japan's new emperor.

Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan will become the country's monarch tomorrow after his 85-year-old father abdicated due to declining health. 

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The prince, 59, has a life-long affection for Oxford after studying at the university between 1983 and 1985.

He even wrote a memoir of his time in the city entitled The Thames and I: A Memoir of Two Years at Oxford, which has just been republished to mark the occasion. 

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The current emperor Akihito is the first Japanese monarch to stand down in more than 200 years and has delivered his last public address as emperor in a historic ceremony in Tokyo.

Oxford Mail:

Crown Prince Naruhito's ascension to the throne, which holds no political power, will begin a new era for the country.

His time in Merton College was punctuated with frequent trips to the city's many historic pubs including the Trout and White Hart in Wolvercote. 

He worked on a thesis entitled A Study of Navigation and Traffic on the Upper Thames in the 18th Century which was published in 1989. 

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According to the Japan Times, his Oxford memoir offers a rare insight into his sense of humour and personality. 

Oxford Mail:

It recounts his daily life during his time at the university, including various 'colourful observations and anecdotes'.

In one episode, he recalls being refused entry to a bar after his jeans didn't fit the dress code while another chapter describes how he narrowly avoided flooding his student dormitory when he attempted to do the laundry by himself for the first time, according to the newspaper. 

Despite his royal title, the prince lived alongside other students in an ordinary dormitory.

He returned to his former college in May 2001 as part of an official visit to Britain. 

Oxford Mail:

The Oxford Mail's report from the time said the prince visited Merton and Balliol colleges and the Ashmolean Museum, where he was given a tour by the then-director. 

He then found time for a quick drink at the Trout before visiting the River and Rowing Museum in Henley. 

Oxford Mail:

This trip followed a visit by his mother and father, the emperor and empress of Japan, in 1998. 

Akihito used this occasion to visit the Wells Farm and Nature Reserve in Little Milton, near Thame, to spot birds of prey. 

Oxford Mail:

Meanwhile Empress Michiko made a private visit to the Bodleian Library to view its collection of children's books.