Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako and their daughter Princess Aiko pose in this handout photo from the Imperial Household Agency.

Crown prince turns 49; pledges efforts to lighten emperor's burden

Monday 23rd February, 06:03 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 22 Total Comments Show All

herefornow at 12:58 PM JST - 23rd February

Sorry, but no matter how much those three are smiling in the "handout photo" I cannot make myself believe that any of them are truly happy. (Except the dog of course, who gets to enjoy one of the largest green spaces in Tokyo in private.) The word dysfuctional is more what comes to mind.
illsayit at 01:00 PM JST - 23rd February

You mean he will keep his meddling wife and her spoilt brat attitudes quiet?

Good!
blvtzpk at 01:43 PM JST - 23rd February

A 1000% increase in waving, smiling, bowing, & making small talk.

Good luck!
franz75 at 02:51 PM JST - 23rd February

please define "overwork"...

what is you schedule? what are you doing every day?
Spanishwoman at 04:21 PM JST - 23rd February

I guess giving parties to other royal family members from time to time must be very stresfull...
ca1ic0cat at 09:48 PM JST - 23rd February

Is the burden being discussed the pressures of being the head of state, dealing with the IHS or trying to hold up the appearances of being a living god? He should certainly help dad enjoy some free time. Heck, he should enjoy a little free time himself.
LoveUSA at 11:36 PM JST - 23rd February

he is one of the not so many gentlemen in Japan. Stands up for the woman he loves. That is so nice!
seesaw at 12:17 AM JST - 24th February

LoveUSA: Yes he does, but there's a fine line between personal issues and that of the Nation's. They are living on our taxes, and it's unfair for me to contribute to upkeep a spoilt-brat Princess...It's a day light robbery..
LoveUSA at 12:56 AM JST - 24th February

See-saw so what is your solution?
goingtoshopping at 02:19 AM JST - 24th February

Move over, Dad, let me do the waving!

Naruhito (49), Kajiralongkorn (56), Charles (60): Take heart, O long-suffering Crown Princes of the world!
seesaw at 09:53 AM JST - 24th February

PTSD is a curable problem. It's all up to the individual. I've seen many such cases here in Japan. Only the weak ones ended up suffering for such a long time. It's all part of growing up, becoming an adult, so on and so forth.

Princess Masako just didn't try hard enough. She lets herself be controlled by her own fear, weakness, and the Imperial Household Agency. I regret the fact that she's a Western-educated J woman and I thought she would make the difference to the rest of the J women when she went onto that Crown Princess' pedestal...
seesaw at 09:54 AM JST - 24th February

LoveUSA: solution is...hmm...perhaps Prince Naruhito should find a new wife....what about that?..:)
Nessie at 10:32 AM JST - 24th February

A euphemism for "pledes efforts to procure more slender concubines."
seesaw at 12:12 PM JST - 24th February

Yea..you said it right Nessie!
linro at 10:02 AM JST - 25th February

The Japanese Imperial family is the oldest in the world,Empress Michiko and Princess Masako seem to be suffering from the same problem of stress, Maybe its time the Japanese government brought the Imperial family in line with the 21st century rather than on the same lines as 600 odd BC, there have been 8 Empresses on the imperial throne,Princess Aiko would be a good start to modernisation and bringing back succession. Since they have been declassified from God's to human then the government should be more considerate and not treat them like relics that belong in a museum.