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Thursday February 23, 4:04 AMCrown prince turns 46, happy about imperial pregnancy(Kyodo) _ Crown Prince Naruhito turned 46 Thursday, expressing his hope that all goes well for Princess Kiko, his younger brother's wife, who is expecting her third child in autumn.At a news conference prior to his birthday, the crown prince said he and his wife Crown Princess Masako are happy at the news, while refraining from commenting on a proposal by a government panel to revise the Imperial House Law so that females could ascend Japan's imperial throne as a way to avoid a possible succession crisis. If the law is revised in line with the proposal, the crown prince's only child Princess Aiko, who under the current law is not allowed to ascend the throne because she is female, will be second in line to the throne after her father, and could become the first female monarch since the 18th century. "As her parent I have various thoughts, but I would like to refrain from commenting further," the crown prince said. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi decided to give up submitting the revision bill to the current Diet session after news of the imperial pregnancy broke earlier this month, raising the possibility of the imperial family having its first male heir since 1965. The crown prince said he had received a call from Prince Akishino about the pregnancy and said to him, "That is good to hear...Please take care." Speaking of Princess Aiko, 4, who is to attend the Gakushuin Kindergarten in Tokyo from April, the crown prince said she is interested in sumo wrestling and shows off her "sumo skills" when she plays with her parents or attendants. "She remembers the names of sumo wrestlers very well. I don't compare," he said. Princess Aiko also enjoys watering vegetables everyday in the gardens of the Crown Prince's residence near the Imperial Palace and presents them to her grandparents, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, according to the crown prince. The crown prince also said he thought Princess Aiko's education as a member of the imperial household will begin "a little later," recalling his own experiences at her age. "At the stage when I was entering kindergarten, I think the emphasis was placed on growing up as a child," he said. Meanwhile, the crown prince said he hopes his 42-year-old wife Masako, a former diplomat who is recovering from a stress-induced illness, will find an outlet to make use of her experiences. Crown Princess Masako, announced by the Imperial Household Agency as having an adjustment disorder in July 2004, has partially resumed her public duties but doctors said in December that her physical condition remains unstable. Speculation is rife that the crown princess is suffering from stress due to pressure to produce a male heir. "Masako is making efforts following the doctors' course of treatment and I will continue to support her...I hope (people) understand that she is on the road to recovery and will watch her quietly and warmly," the crown prince said. Referring to the marriage last year of his younger sister, the former Princess Sayako, the crown prince said he felt "a touch of loneliness" on her leaving the imperial household, but was pleased because she looked happy. Under the current law, female imperial members have to relinquish their royal title if they wed a commoner. |
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