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Thursday November 30, 4:10 AMPrince Akishino turns 41, concerned about his busy parents(Kyodo) _ Japan's Prince Akishino turned 41 on Thursday and expressed his concerns over the workload of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, saying his parents perform too many official duties for their age.At a press conference prior to his birthday, the prince also said Prince Hisahito, his newborn son with 40-year-old Princess Kiko and the first heir to the imperial throne in 41 years, is growing steadily, both sleeping and crying in large measures. On the duties of the imperial couple, the prince, their second son, said, "In addition to duties performed outside, I get the impression that there are very many events that take place inside the palace," citing their frequent meetings with foreign dignitaries and diplomats. The prince said his parents, both 72, have strong desires to visit places they have never been to in the country but such visits typically involve "very long distances," as when they visited Hokkaido in September. "I believe there are many duties someone in the emperor's position alone can perform, but I still feel it must be extremely hard for them to perform all those duties if we take their age into account," he added. The emperor underwent prostate cancer surgery in January 2003 to remove the entire gland, and the empress skipped some duties in March 2005 after developing a skin infection around her mouth. Referring to his son, Prince Akishino said the now nearly 3-month-old is growing steadily. "He sleeps a lot, cries a lot and smiles a lot. He is drinking a lot of breast milk, too." Prince Akishino said he and Princess Kiko will treat their son, a potential future emperor, the same way as their two daughters Princess Mako, 15, and Princess Kako, 11, who are not eligible to ascend the throne under Japan's male-only imperial succession law. Prince Hisahito was the hereditary monarchy's first heir in 41 years, and stands third in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne after Crown Prince Naruhito, 46, the emperor's eldest son, and his father. Attending the same press conference, Princess Kiko said she and her husband intend to learn what their son must be taught as time progresses by listening to other people's opinions, including those of the emperor and empress. Prince Akishino, meanwhile, ruled out the possibility of having a fourth child at this time. In a sign of his healthy growth, the new prince has begun smiling as if in response when his father and sisters cradle and talk to him, according to the parents. He also gazes at toys and follows things in motion with his eyes, they said. "He sometimes dozes off with a pleased look on his face while listening to his father play the guitar," Princess Kiko said. |
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