Princess Aiko, the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, and granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, turned 14 on Tuesday.
The Imperial Household said that Princess Aiko has been working very hard studying at Gakushuin Girl's Junior High School in Shinjuku Ward and has also been actively participating in various school activities.
Aiko enjoys playing tennis with her parents, as well as softball at school. This year, Aiko took part in a "Hyakunin Isshu" (a Japanese classical card game) at her school, the agency said.
Her other sporting activities this year included a 3-km swim and the school athletic meet in the summer.
The agency said Aiko has been learning about World War Ii by attending exhibition with her parents, as well as reading books and old newspaper articles on the subject.
In the afternoon, Aiko will visit the Imperial Palace to greet her grandparents.
© Japan Today
22 Comments
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Wc626
Let's hope she is learning accurate WW2 knowledge and not Japan's typical watered-down version of events.
http://mic.com/articles/113424/japan-is-trying-to-whitewash-its-world-war-ii-history-we-can-t-let-that-happen#.KuYYT9Mpy
Colleen Gallagher
Well I wish her a happy birthday !!???????? don't listen to negative ppl .Just live your life ! Then you won't hear their voices just the chatter!????
japan4life
Celebrates her 14th birthday by having a staged photograph taken in that depressing room with the circa 1950`s interior design. Why not show a picture of her blowing out the candles on her birthday cake or doing some other fun thing? Even the dog looks depressed.
Utrack
Happy Birthday Princess Aiko
smartacus
Too bad they wouldn't let her become empress.
cleo
She'll be happier when she's married and a normal Mrs. Aiko Not-Royal-Any-More-And-Well-Out-Of-It. It's the little born-to-order lad I feel sorry for. He'll be ruled by the Kunaicho his whole life.
AsianGaijinYesWeExist
Stiffer than the Windsors' stiff upper lips.
nakanoguy01
hey, didn't i say just the other day about the sofa and dog! bada-bing! and now she's old enough to get her picture taken by herself. baby's all grows up!
NathalieB
japan4life - I've just read your comment to my very Japanese husband. He just absolutely peed himself laughing and said "so da yo! so da yo!!!"
Brian Wheway
Happy Birthday Aiko ! If she is studying WW11 well i hope its the worlds view or conception of WW11 not the edited Japanese version, will she be taught about "comfort Woman"? the brutal torchere that the Japanese military brought upon captured solders, and teach hear about the Burma railway, Kamikaze pilots, dam! I've got on my soap box again.
HollisBrown
If the PR is stating the highlights of her year, what a depressing year she has had!
Played tennis with her parents, played softball at school, played a card game, swam 3km, did the school sports day, learnt about WWII (yeah right), read books and old newspaper articles about WWII (highly selected I'm sure).
To top it all off, she has to go and greet her grandparents - at THEIR place - on HER birthday.
Why is everything still so regimented and forced in Japan? Just let the girl smile for a picture and don't feel the need to tell us things that are obviously intended to make her appear educated and conscientious. None of it is really necessary - just say "she's going to celebrate with her family and then have a small party with a few friends". It may not be true, but at least it makes her sound a bit more normal.
Even if it is necessary, of all the things she must have studied at school this year they decided to only mention WWII. Just think of the effect it could've had (on young girls especially) if they'd have said she's been enjoying studying English, or IT, or chemistry etc.
YeahRight
Twenty-first century and the Japanese are still pushing "royalty." How absolutely anachronistic. For all its modernity, Japan is still, in many ways, set in the past.
And not in a good way.
Kurobune
Nice call, nakanoguy01 !
Jumin Rhee
YeahRight: "Twenty-first century and the Japanese are still pushing "royalty." How absolutely anachronistic. For all its modernity, Japan is still, in many ways, set in the past."
Many modern liberal democracies have a monarch (reserve or figurehead only, of course). They seem to unite the people better than a partisan political leader (presidential system), and hold country together slightly better thsn elected figurehead president (parliamentary republic).
Storm Wolf
プリンセス第14誕生日おめでとう
I'm not very good at Japanese but hopefully I have wished you a happy birthday princess. I hope you have a great day and remember to always be true to yourself. You can't please everyone no matter how hard you try.
Shannon OkamiEd Kaihatsu
What makes people think it's so bad to be royalty in Japan? She goes to school, players softball, has teammates. What's the matter with that?
DaDude
I remembered coming to Japan shortly before she was born and going to Osaka Station where they were passing out free newspapers to everyone about her birth. Old ladies were going into a frenzy grabbing the newspapers. Man whenever I hear about Aiko's BD I realize I've been here a hella long time.
savethegaijin
Happy Birthday to the princess.
I'm against Monarchies in theory but having a non-influential monarchy makes people take politicians less seriously (which is good) so I try not to hate on them too much.
Fadamor
And... is that PEGBOARD for paneling?! That could be my dad's garage! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perforated_hardboard
Magnus Roe
This was the most depressing birthday picture I've ever seen, she looks like a human trafficking victim in a crisis centre. Even the dog looks miserable. Odd framing with the light switch and television partially included along the edges :P Happy birthday, sunshine!
Brian Wheway
magnus, your right m8 it looks like the picture was taken in a BBC recording studio in the mid 60,s, it could have been a far better picture, may be in the local park running through the Autumn leafs may be trowing a stick for the dog to fetch, or with friends at a party with a birthday cake or something, or even out in a high end designer clothe shop in Tokyo choosing an outfit. or even out an exclusive night club celebrating with champagne. the picture is dull as a blown light bulb, I feel so sorry for her. as they said on my school report, "must try harder".