Princess Kiko is Pregnant for the 3rd time

[mandyy]

Japan weeklies predict princess to bear male heir

TOKYO - Japan’s royal baby isn’t due for weeks, but popular magazines, never shy about probing the secrets of the great and famous, have already decided that the imperial family is about to welcome its first male heir in over 40 years.
Speculation over whether Princess Kiko, 39, the wife of the emperor’s younger son, will give birth to a boy has simmered since an announcement in February that she was pregnant with her third child............................
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2006/July/theworld_July745.xml&section=theworld&col=

Photos from Reuters of Kiko from May 25, 2006

 

[wlee]

Expectant Princess Kiko in stable condition: agency

(Kyodo) _ Princess Kiko, pregnant with a possible heir to Japan's imperial throne and who was diagnosed with a complication last week, is in stable condition, the Imperial Household Agency said Thursday.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060727/kyodo/d8j49dao6.html

 

[Al_bina]

Just my opinion...

It is my observation, but the Imperial Household Agency governs the Japanese Imperial family affairs entirely. This particular Agency seems to meddle too much into private affairs of Imperial family and poison them. I am fond of the Japanese culture (i.e., cuisine, literature, history, art). I am fascinated with the Japanese demeanor and striving for perfection, which has been developed through many centuries. However, this blind and somewhat stubborn desire to cling to traditions of having only a male heir is quite unreasonable and impolite.

 

[Mari_*]

So Aiko won't be the heiress anymore?

 

[princess olga]

Totally agree with you Al_Bina.

This pregnancy seems orchestrated for some reason. And I cannot imagine how crown princess Masako, who gave up her stellar diplomat career only to languish in agony over the fact she could only give the Japanese a daughter, must now feel.

That royal family realy has some huge blind spots if you ask me. And sure sure, that is always blamed on the sycophants twirling around this family influencing everything, but come on, now, the emperor and his family are humans, right? They aren't a bunch of Toyota-designed drones, right? They should speak out and do something (to be fair, Masako's husband has tried). I sense a clear arrogance in this family that I don't sense in the royal families of Europe or Thailand.

 

[princess olga]

I wonder how Kiko feels right now. She may have to deal with the stress and uncertainty of an early birth. I feel like enough is already on her plate right now.

I rather wonder how Masako must feel in all this. This is a huge insult to her, could nt be bigger, not in a so traditional royal household. Disgusting is what it is. Poor Masako, I wonder whether she will ever recover from her depression now that she is clearly given a head's up that she's failed the family and the nation. Again, I am quite disgusted.

 

[princess olga]

These are the same people who do not even allow Masako to call her own parents.

..And here I was thinking that the nonsense surrounding that family went out the window at the end of world war 2, when the then-emperor publicly admitted he wasn't a god after all.
If I were Masako, I wouldn't stand being treated so inhumanely. Again, what kind of family would allow their members being treated like this? Japan should really get a clue regarding its royal family, this is getting ridiculous.

 

[fandesacs2003]

I rather wonder how Masako must feel in all this. This is a huge insult to her, could nt be bigger, not in a so traditional royal household. Disgusting is what it is. Poor Masako, I wonder whether she will ever recover from her depression now that she is clearly given a head's up that she's failed the family and the nation. Again, I am quite disgusted.

Hello to everybody

Totally agree with you. Its a hapiness to have a baby and I hope that Princess Kiko and her baby will be OK, but this story is so disgusting for Princess Masako, but also for all women in Japan. It seems SOoooo that this pregnancy has been programmed, for the ONLY reason, to obtain a boy for this throne and ato throw Aiko away.
IMO, Masako, should have regretted millions of time to have give up to her carreer and have marry the Prince. I believe that he loves and supports her, but he is also "neutralised"

what a shame

 

[soCal girl]

So Aiko won't be the heiress anymore?

Well, that's still to be decided technically. The future of Aiko rests on Kiko's unborn child. If the baby is a boy, which many people speculate, then there probably will not be a change and the baby boy will be the future Emperor of Japan. If the baby is a girl, well the IHA are either going to cook up a wacky plan or accept the fact that Aiko one day will be their Empress. I guess we'll have to see....

 

[Thomas Parkman]

It would serve them right now wouldn't it?? The whole thing is horrible. But then if Masako had not been subjected to the huge stress and I strongly suspect subtle but very brutal abuse of which the Japanese are such past masters she might well have given birth to more than one child, in fact two or three. In which case this senario would never have need developed. Nor would it cast a lurid glow on what should be a happy event. A princess of the Imperial Family is about to have her third child. the gender of the child would then not be such an issue. After all women have children all the time and most if not all of the time it is a happy event. A little kindness is much needed here, something one does not think of when one thinks of the robots in the IMperial Household Agency. Cheers. Thomas Parkman

 

[Alexandria]

That royal family realy has some huge blind spots if you ask me. And sure sure, that is always blamed on the sycophants twirling around this family influencing everything, but come on, now, the emperor and his family are humans, right? They aren't a bunch of Toyota-designed drones, right? They should speak out and do something (to be fair, Masako's husband has tried). I sense a clear arrogance in this family that I don't sense in the royal families of Europe or Thailand.

I don't think it's as easy as this to incite change. The Chrysanthemum throne is embedded in hundreds of years, centuries even, of history and protocol. And even though it's 2006 such history and protocol can't be turned upside down (as in their eyes allowing Aiko to be heiress would mean) in just a few years, no matter what kind of emotional or psychological toll had been experienced by Michiko and Masako.

I always think of Sarah Ferguson on various talk shows after her divorce when she would talk about the "Grey Men" of the British royal court and how they watched your every move and had to approve anything and everything you did. If the British royal court, which is considerably more progressive in comparison to the Japanese court, had such a hard time with allowing Diana and Fergie some freedom and making them some allowances, then I can imagine how practically impossible it would be for any concessions to be made for Masako and for Aiko to be Empress one day by her own merits of being her father's first born.

I do think that the members of the Imperial family care about Masako and her ill-health, but at the same time I think they realize that the system is bigger than them and that there isn't much they can do for her. Her husband tried and I think that speaks volumes about the kind of man he is and how he's been willing to challenge the court much to the dismay of his father, but little (if any) change occured as a result of Naruhito's comments.

I admit that I don't know much about the imperial court and I hope that someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I suspect that Akihito does not have as much influence as some of his other counterparts in the running of his court or his duties. Margrethe of Denmark and Beatrix of the Netherlands for example are two monarchs whom I think have some influence in their courts that if they said that their daughter-in-laws should not be subjected to something, they wouldn't be. Beatrix for example was able to secure parking passes for her van Vollenhoven nephews, which is apparently very rare in Holland since parking spaces is so limited.

And on numerous occasions British prime ministers through the years have commented on how much they look up to Queen Elizabeth and how they seek out her advice because she's seen so much history and she knows the history of the country so well. I don't hear that often of Akihito. Even in Spain, despite the trepadations of the monarchy and auspicious start of Juan Carlos' reign, he is greatly admired and has a significant presence in his country that I don't sense from Akihito. And even in Spain, laws to change succession rights that would allow Leonor to become queen rather than a younger brother, have been slow to happen. Politicians on all fronts agree that allowing a younger brother to succeed Leonor is an archaic law but change has been slow to happen as it happens on multiple levels of governments and governments of course have their own agenda that they want to push through and Leonor being Queen isn't necessarily a priority for them. I imagine that in Japan this is a similar story.

 

[Vanesa]

Please, people...We may not agree with other countries ideas and laws...But they are their ideas and laws. If they wants to change, it must be THEM who decide it, not us, we are foreigns. Modern world is used to act as if all countries had an external rule to them. THIS is disgusting to me.

I like countries being different between them. Now, is like we have all a common governement who is always saying: "...It's impossible you tolerate this any more...". "This kind of clothes are absolete. We must abolish them". "You can't do this any more". If we accept this, true freedom (who is founded in diversity) is dead.

I would like that Princess Aiko would have been the heiress. But if Japanese people doesn't want it, is not my affair. Is not our affair. Please, let them to decide.

Vanesa.

 

[Elspeth]

Well, I understand what you're saying about showing sensitivity toward other cultures, but I'm sure that our expressing our opinions here isn't going to make any difference to the eventual outcome; I very much doubt that the IHA is remotely interested in what we're saying. As long as we're aware that our opinions are probably of very little if any interest to most Japanese people, I think we can go ahead and express them as long as the thread doesn't start getting too political.

 

[princess olga]

I do think that the members of the Imperial family care about Masako and her ill-health, but at the same time I think they realize that the system is bigger than them and that there isn't much they can do for her. Her husband tried and I think that speaks volumes about the kind of man he is and how he's been willing to challenge the court much to the dismay of his father, but little (if any) change occured as a result of Naruhito's comments.

I agree with your view on this, and speaking of Naruhito, the crown prince, perhaps when HE gets to be on the throne, he might be able to influence change and fix the law for his daughter, if the politicians are amenable to this?

 

[princess olga]

Please, people...We may not agree with other countries ideas and laws...But they are their ideas and laws.

Frankly, I'm not talking about the Japanese people and their ideas. Because I am quite sure they couldn't care less if a woman was the next person to their throne. I'm quite sure they would be very accepting of Aiko inheriting the throne.

I'm talking about the people running the royal show there. Why on the planet can't we say what we think on this. It is fine to complain about the way the british royal family treated Diana and Fergie, but it is not ok to criticize a royal family because, boy oh boy, they are in an Asian nation?

I like countries being different between them. Now, is like we have all a common governement who is always saying: "...It's impossible you tolerate this any more...". "This kind of clothes are absolete. We must abolish them". "You can't do this any more". If we accept this, true freedom (who is founded in diversity) is dead.

I'm all for diversity, all I'm saying is that this 'diversity' is causing one human we happen to know about, crown princess Masako, such distress she has been extremely ill for years and years. This 'diversity' has made her life miserable, clearly, her husband has even said so himself, which indicates that even he disagrees with continuing what you title as 'diversity'.

If the result of this coveted diversity is that people are treated inhumanely, how sacred should these medieval laws really be? If this was the British royal family we'd be talking about, no one would be commenting we're not respecting diversity, I think.

I would like that Princess Aiko would have been the heiress. But if Japanese people doesn't want it, is not my affair. Is not our affair. Please, let them to decide.

Vanesa.

Again, I know a few Japanese people (who all are under or around 30 years of age, admittedly, so perhaps this is a generational issue), and they are all for a woman on the throne, believe me (if anything because most of them really could care less). the thing is the Japanese people aren't the ones here who get to decide on this matter, it's the royal household agency, and those people seem to be cruel and rigid without concern for people's individual freedom.

 

[princess olga]

But then if Masako had not been subjected to the huge stress and I strongly suspect subtle but very brutal abuse of which the Japanese are such past masters she might well have given birth to more than one child, in fact two or three. In which case this senario would never have need developed. Nor would it cast a lurid glow on what should be a happy event.

Interesting observation, and I think, it's, sadly, right on the money: if Masako hadn't been so monitored and confined by that household agency, she'd have been happier which would ve probably resulted in more kids, indeed. Again this whole royal life has been one incredible washout for Masako.

As fandesacs2003 already said, Masako's depression probably stems from the fact that she realizes full well this sacrifice she's made hasn't been worth it. Especially not now she's getting a public slap in the face with the pregnancy of her sis in law. Talk about public humiliation! Japan has a shame-based culture (no, I'm not being judgemental, ask any cultural anthropologist about Japan's culture and they'll confirm this), and poor Masako couldn't have been put to shame in a more public way. Shakespeare couldn't have dreamt this one up if he'd tried.

 

[royaltywatcher]

I always think of Sarah Ferguson on various talk shows after her divorce when she would talk about the "Grey Men" of the British royal court and how they watched your every move and had to approve anything and everything you did.

I remember this too, and I remember some comments coming out of the Diana camp on this as well. But I've never understood the source of power of the British and Japanese royal households. Why doesn't the royal family in each of these cases, well, fire the members of the royal household that step out of line? Who is the boss here, anyway?

The royal families have a lot of power. (They have, for instance, the power to embarrass themselves.) Why don't they exercise it? The only thing I can think of is that the royal households in each of these cases are doing the bidding of the queen/emperor, who are using the royal households to keep their own family members in line.

 

[tete]

Interesting observation, and I think, it's, sadly, right on the money: if Masako hadn't been so monitored and confined by that household agency, she'd have been happier which would ve probably resulted in more kids, indeed. Again this whole royal life has been one incredible washout for Masako.

As fandesacs2003 already said, Masako's depression probably stems from the fact that she realizes full well this sacrifice she's made hasn't been worth it. Especially not now she's getting a public slap in the face with the pregnancy of her sis in law. Talk about public humiliation! Japan has a shame-based culture (no, I'm not being judgemental, ask any cultural anthropologist about Japan's culture and they'll confirm this), and poor Masako couldn't have been put to shame in a more public way. Shakespeare couldn't have dreamt this one up if he'd tried.

u are so right. the imperial household agency control almost all aspects of her life, what she wears, where she goes and so fourth. very similar to diana's treatment.

http://www.benhills.com/articles/articles/JPN39b.html

 

[Alexandria]

I remember this too, and I remember some comments coming out of the Diana camp on this as well. But I've never understood the source of power of the British and Japanese royal households. Why doesn't the royal family in each of these cases, well, fire the members of the royal household that step out of line? Who is the boss here, anyway?

The royal families have a lot of power. (They have, for instance, the power to embarrass themselves.) Why don't they exercise it? The only thing I can think of is that the royal households in each of these cases are doing the bidding of the queen/emperor, who are using the royal households to keep their own family members in line.

I never was able to figure that out either, about why if Sarah and Diana were so unhappy and feeling so stifled, and they surely complained to their husbands, why Andrew and Charles wouldn't have gone to the Queen and the Queen had the attitudes of the Grey Men adjusted or fired them.

I think in recent years we have seen the Queen make more decisions that override the feelings of the Grey Men in the British court. Supposedly when Diana died the Grey Men did not want the Queen to visit the memorial her followers had set up outside her home with all those flowers, candles, stuffed animals and the like. But she came back from Edinburgh and visited the memorial with the Duke of Edinburgh, and also spoke publicly about the loss of Diana. But if you think that such someone had to die for the Queen to override the Grey Men, then no disrespect meant to Masako and her stress, but that surely isn't enough for the Emperor to stand up against the Grey Men equivalent in Japan.

I do agree with the other sentiments expressed that when it's time for Aiko to become Empress, she will likely have 99% support of the Japanese people due to the generation gap. Maybe now when there exist very traditional views from the generation of the Emperor and Empress' generation still it would be difficult to bring forth change, but certainly in two or three decades from now, a born Empress will not faze anyone.

 

[carlota]

Hello to everybody

Totally agree with you. Its a hapiness to have a baby and I hope that Princess Kiko and her baby will be OK, but this story is so disgusting for Princess Masako, but also for all women in Japan. It seems SOoooo that this pregnancy has been programmed, for the ONLY reason, to obtain a boy for this throne and ato throw Aiko away.
IMO, Masako, should have regretted millions of time to have give up to her carreer and have marry the Prince. I believe that he loves and supports her, but he is also "neutralised"

what a shame

i totally agree fandesacs.

firstly, i wanted to ask... is it official that it's a boy kiko is expecting? was it officially confirmed?

in that case, i really think (my opinion) that it was programmed, as fandesacs said. and it's a shame, after all that masako has been through.

a doubt on succesion: what would happen if in this case, the son of kiko was a boy? would that mean that akishino would be emperor and so will his son, or that after naruhito's empire, akishino's son's will follow?

 

[Emily]

Carlota - to answer a couple of questions....
First, the gender of the baby has not been announced by the royal house. Elsewhere on this thread, you can read discussions on why people think it is probably a boy, though. Second, technically, even if the baby is a boy, Naruhito will reign as Emperor after his father is deceased, then the line would pass to Akishino and/or his son, probably depending on the age of the "theoretical" son.

 

[princess olga]

I do agree with the other sentiments expressed that when it's time for Aiko to become Empress, she will likely have 99% support of the Japanese people due to the generation gap. Maybe now when there exist very traditional views from the generation of the Emperor and Empress' generation still it would be difficult to bring forth change, but certainly in two or three decades from now, a born Empress will not faze anyone.

In that sense, there's huge hope for a positive turnout, for Aiko that is.
Meanwhile, this must all be very distressing not only for Masako, but I'm realizing now, also for her husband, who has been courageous enough to defend his wife in public. Naruhito is for example said to be friends with Willem Alexander and Maxima, and I can't help but think that he must sometimes wish he and his wife would have something like the incredible support Alex and Maxima get from people like Beatrix.

 

[WordRider]

I think the older, more conservative Japanese men will be very relieved that a boy has finally been born to inherit the throne.

I agree and i just know that the baby will leap for joy.

Terrance

 

[Lillia]

I agree. I think CP Naruhito has been very courageous during this entire thing.

I believe that the IHA has tried to ruin his marriage with Masako and perhaps it was his counter to leak the stories about how his wife had been subjected to IVF in an attempt to have a child and then speak out in defense of Masako and his family, I think also it was the IHA that tried to contrive some rumor about his beautiful baby daughter having developmental problems (please correct me if I am mistaken) and he countered that with those clever pictures showing how healthy and happy she was, and now this. Naruhito is a brave man and I admire his unwillingness to allow himself be shunted off (and his family destroyed) by that IHA institution. I hope that Princess Kiko and her child will be ok, but I also hope Naruhito can manage another setback somehow for that IHA again, because imo (which admittedly I am not completely informed on the inner workings of the Japanese Royal Family) the IHA seems relentless in their quest for a male heir. That's just my opinion.

 

[Toledo]

We are all waiting for the big birth announcement.

Question, when the little prince(ss) is born, do we get a new thread right away or continue on this one?
I predict if it's a boy we will have our hands fulls of speculation on what would happen to Crown Princess Masako and Aiko from that point on. I'm crossing my fingers for princess Kiko to have a girl. But if it's a boy, hold on to your seats everyone, we will all witness either history in the making or history in regression.

 

[Alexandria]

Is there any published information about the people who work for the IHA? For example, we know what Mary's Lady in Waiting looks like and a little bit about her, just as we know a little bit about the woman who is Victoria of Sweden's mentor.

Is there any background information about members of the IHA? Perhaps that would help our understanding of these people and why they are so unopen to change.

 

[Emily]

I have just been looking through different threads on the CP's family trying to find the posts by Charlotte (from Australia, I think) which address some of the history of the IHA. I might have the wrong person, but I think she wrote some very informative posts on this. Can anyone else help with this?

 

[Elspeth]

I remember this too, and I remember some comments coming out of the Diana camp on this as well. But I've never understood the source of power of the British and Japanese royal households. Why doesn't the royal family in each of these cases, well, fire the members of the royal household that step out of line? Who is the boss here, anyway?

The government. These "grey men" are basically civil servants, not minions of the royals. When the whole culture is slanted in a particular direction, firing individuals isn't going to make any difference because the replacement will be similar enough to not make a whole lot of difference.

 

[morhange]

Japan's Princess Kiko Is Having A Boy
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7004348478

Svjetlana Mlinarevic - All Headline News Contributor
London, UK (BANG) - Japan's Princess Kiko will reportedly give birth to a baby boy.
The royal, the wife of Prince Akishino, announced her pregnancy in February and speculation is rife that she will provide a male heir following the announcement the child will be delivered by Caesarean. Commentators believe the decision to opt for a Caesarean section is proof the baby will be a boy because they want to take extra care.


Regarding this article, I think it's hilarious that they speculate the baby is a boy solely because Kiko is going to have a C-section. I'm sure that regardless of what the baby is, boy or girl, the parents want to make sure both it and Kiko are safe and even if they are having a girl, you'd think they'd still have a C-section. Personally, I hope they have a boy, but that's just me. I'm a stickler for tradition and it scares me sometimes! This whole controversy reminds me of the situation in Russia during the 1900s when Nicholas II had four daughters, but no son. I remember reading that someone (it might have been Nicholas, but I can't remember) wanted an imperial ukase issued that would allow his eldest daughter Olga to succeed him. At any rate, this plan was abandoned when his wife had a son (albeit a hemophiliac one) but since the Romanov dynasty ended several years later, the whole thing is moot now.

I just hope that whatever Kiko has, the baby is healthy. It would probably kill the family (or the IHA) if it's a boy but he has some kind of hereditary illness.

 

[Amina]

Personally I feel if Kiko's baby is indeed a boy it would lift such an enormous burden off of Aiko. I would love for Japan to have an empress but I get the distinct impression that the Japanese law makers are very conservative and not exactly happy over the idea of a female ruler They would all prefer a boy. If Aiko were made heiress they would have to change so many rules, create new protocol, her education would be carefully structured, her love life would be difficult. I don't think she'd ever get a chance to lead a really full life. She's end up like the princess in Roman Holiday. I think if she were to become the next empress her life would be so stifled. I have been getting this vibe from Japan's royal family that everything is so carefulyl structured and planned out that it almost feels there is no room to breathe. It is so pressured. Japan's royal family is not like the British or Swedish royal family.

I agree with you in some ways i want the baby to be a girl so that there is some sort of reform, on the other i think that it would probably be better for PMasako & Aiko if the baby is male - WHY? Like u said it would take the pressure of PM & PA would grow up to have a more 'normal' life.