/ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT/CULTURE-JAPAN: All Eyes on Royal Pregnancy

By Suvendrini Kakuchi Reprint | | Print |

Suvendrini Kakuchi

TOKYO, Apr 24 2001 (IPS) - The race for a new prime minister in Japan ranks as major news here, but many have their eyes fixed on what to them is good news that has been lacking in tough economic times: reports that Crown Princess Masako is pregnant.

Indeed, the Japanese have long waited to hear that the wife of Crown Prince Naruhito is with child, reflecting how many follow with interest the country’s royal family.

But now that an announcement that hints at this has been made by the Imperial Household Agency, reaction has been noticeably subdued. Many commentators say this is the result of the frenzied media response in late 1999 when news broke out that Crown Princess Masako was showing signs of pregnancy. The frenzy turned to bitter disappointed when it was announced a few weeks later that she had miscarried.

Royal supporters and palace officials at the time blamed the media for reporting the news too early. Even Masako hinted during a press conference held later that the overheated coverage may have affected her health.

And so while congratulatory notes flooded newspapers and websites on the royal family following the Apr. 16 statement by the Imperial Household Agency regarding Masako’s new “signs of pregnancy”, there were also many admonitions for people not to go overboard with their reactions this time.

Indeed, the news anchor on local Channel 8 television even found it necessary to say after announcing the good news, “Let’s not get too excited over the royal pregnancy. Let us respect the need for Princess Masako to rest during this important time.”

Other people also seem to be holding their breath until Masako, 37, gives birth, which is expected to happen sometime in December.

Says Masami Nakayama, a 52-year-old legal secretary: “I am so relieved. I hope it works this time for the poor princess.”

Producing a male heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne was among the things expected of the woman whom Naruhito, the eldest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, would marry.

But when the Crown Prince announced his choice of a bride almost a decade ago, many Japanese also began to hope that the then Masako Owada would also bring the stodgy monarchy up to date.

A Harvard University graduate and a career diplomat, Masako, then 29 years old, appeared to be representing the trend among young Japanese women to marry late because they considered their work to be important.

Feminists therefore thought she had potential to speak up for women and ease the traditional-minded monarchy into modern times.

During her first press conference as Naruhito’s intended, it was even noted that Masako talked more than her royal fiance — something that earned her criticism from more conservative Japanese.

But it did not take long for Masako to turn into a demure princess, as tradition demanded, following her June 1993 wedding to Naruhito. She walked a few steps behind her husband and the few speeches she made were of the usual bland variety.

As years passed, the pressure to produce a male heir to the throne also became stronger. While Naruhito’s younger brother, Prince Akishino, is married as well, he has had only daughters so far.

“As each year passed, people realised the situation was getting crucial. The lack of a child threatens the survival of Japan’s 2,000-year-old royal lineage,” says Toshiaki Kawahara, a well-known Imperial family watcher and author.

Kawahara is hoping the new royal baby will be a boy in keeping with the royal succession tradition and the Japanese Constitution, which accepts only male rulers. If the baby does turn out to be a boy, it will be second in line to the throne after Naruhito.

Kawahara points out, “The Japanese are old-fashioned when it comes to their royal family. Naturally they want a male imperial heir.”

But feminist Miho Matsuda says such a viewpoint reflects that Japan is ready to return to its male-dominated traditions. She remarks, “People are trying to use Princess Masako’s pregnancy to rekindle Japan’s feudal past. If that happens I truly feel sorry for her.”

Still, she says, Masako just might turn the tables on the traditionalists. As Matsuda sees it, the princess could use the elevated status that she will gain after she gives birth to an heir to the throne to finally bring in some changes to the monarchy.

“It is ironic but by doing her duty, she may be able to do things differently,” says Matsuda. “We can only wait and see.”

Meanwhile, observers note that the royal pregnancy also seems to have been turned into a tool to help reinforce parent-child bonds in the midst of weakening Japanese family values.

After reporting Masako’s pregnancy, for instance, the Channel 8 evening news spent some time to focus on the care showered by Empress Michiko, the most popular member of the royal family, on her three children.

The commentary, which speculated that Masako will do the same with her own children, noted that Empress Michiko had also declared the importance of holding her children closely at least once a day.

Kawahara says such a television piece is apparently aimed at addressing the breakdown of the Japanese family.

As it is, the National Federation of Public Child Counselling Office reports that cases of child abuse are growing rapidly. It says that 69 cases were recorded between April and December last year, 27 more than the figure posted the same period in the previous year.