There is certainly more to the story about Crown Princess Masako. She has suffered at the hands of the grey men in the Imperial Household Agency, and has suffered great mental stress. But there is also a concern that the Crown Princess has also chosen to not carry mout duties, but is seen in public in Tokyo restaurants, stores and her daughter's school.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5010291.ece
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/perspectives/news/20081025p2a00m0na015000c.html
3 comments:
I’m sure the mistake wasn’t intentional but the agency that runs the Imperial Family is the Imperial Household Agency or Kunaicho in Japanese. The Times article does rehash somewhat old news, the outings by Masako ( Mexican restaurant etc) were from a critical article about her from last year, the divorce being mentioned for the first time as well isn’t accurate as that’s from articles from 2005. The point it makes about Charles and Camilla going to dinner at the Togu Palace ( Masako’s and Naruhito’s home) ignores the fact that in 2005 which was the Expo year, all the heirs to thrones and spouses that came to Japan for the Expo also went and had dinner with Naruhito and Masako at their home. Masako hasn’t attended a State banquet for a State Visit since she began to withdraw from public life so it isn’t that unusual that she won’t be at the Spanish visit one. Besides Aiko’s sports day, this month Masako has attended a concert of Okinawa songs and dances at the National Theatre with Naruhito.
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/photos/culture/imperial/081004/imp0810040808000-p1.jpg
And this past Saturday went to the exhibition of the Empress and her children at the Takeshimaya department store.
http://ca.c.yimg.jp/news/20081025133426/img.news.yahoo.co.jp/images/20081025/maip/20081025-00000005-maip-soci-view-000.jpg
The mainichi article better illustrates the negative press that Masako is receiving in Japan. In Japanese society the collective is more important than the individual, that is translated as the company ( that an employee works for) is more important than the family. Masako seems to be putting her energies into her daughter ( family) but she is expected to be the good ‘employee’ and doing her duty to the company, the Imperial Family. In western society it is seen as more important that Masako would attend her daughter’s sports day than go on an official engagement, but for conservative Japanese ( the only ones who really are interested in the Imperial Family) the official engagement is more important than a daughter’s sports day.
I have thought that Masako's behavior was a little bizare for a while now. It's like she picks and chooses what she wants to do in disregard for duty. I applaude her loyalty to he daughter, but I can't imagine that she didn't know what she was getting into when she married the Prince. My thoughts are either divorce or get on with her duties.
Actually, Masako really had no idea - this is not a western royal family. Her birth record was expunged, limited contact with her family, expect to walk behind her husband and depend solely on the IHA for her clothes, her jewels, what she did, etc. I think she really thought that her diplomatic skills, her foreign languages, etc., would be of use - and she would be able to make a difference.
Instead, she was forced to be someone she wasn't. Her main job was not to sell Japan, but to lie down and produce male heirs. (Please someone tell the IHA that that the man decides the sex of the child.) None of her pregnancies were natural. The IHA told Masako and Naruhito to try again - and also issued the same order to Akishino and Kiko (there is no coincidence that Kiko's pregnancy was announced when Parliament was about to debate a change for the succession. ) I also have no doubt that Kiko was impregnanted with male sperm in order to have a son.
The IHA broke Masako's spirit - her husband can provide some support, but it is not the same.
Post a Comment