A new story about Japan's future emperor, Hisahito, who celebrates his 2nd birthday today He is the son of Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, who have two teenage daughters.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/land-of-the-rising-son/2008/09/06/1220121599243.html
Succession to the throne is limited to males only. Princesses are raised to be commoners. When they marry, they move out of the palace, give up their allowances, and cease to be styled as Princess. They are also registered with the civil authorities. Royal births are not registered. Emperor Hirohito's only daughter, Sayako, is now a mere Mrs. Kuroda, who lives wiht her husband in a Tokyo apartment. She has limited contact with her family. Although she no longer has a royal allowance, she did receive a dowry of about a million dollars to sustain her new life in the modern world.
Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife, the former Masako Owada, have one daughter, Aiko. Although there was some talk of changing the law to allow female inheritance, the conservative International Household Agency made sure that such an idea did not pass. Prince Akishino was born in 1965, and was the last male member born in the Imperial family until Hisahito's birth two years ago.
Princess Kiko was 39 when she gave birth to Hishito. Her pregnancy was a surprise (and was announced at the time when Japan was debating a change to the law.) I have no doubts that Kiko was artificially inseminated with male eggs in order to give birth to a son. In other words, lie down and think of Japan. The IHA was determined to continue the male line. Masako was unwilling to continue the facade and give into the IHA's demands. Kiko, on the other hand, accepted the request. Thus, on September 6, 2006, she gave birth to a son, Hisahito, who is currently third in line to the Japanese throne.
Shinto religious obligations would be difficult for an Empress to undertake as the responsibility for these duties are confined solely to a man.
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