FOCUS: Crown prince's apology marks end to imperial family rift

Japan Policy & Politics, Feb 28, 2005

TOKYO, Feb. 27 Kyodo

Crown Prince Naruhito's apology last week to his parents, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, for his controversial remarks over his wife Crown Princess Masako signaled an improvement in family ties after months of discussion.

Analysts of imperial household affairs say the apology will help cap an unusually turbulent nine months for the world's oldest hereditary monarchy.

Crown Prince Naruhito made the unusually candid remarks in May saying, ''It is true that there were developments that denied Masako's career as a diplomat as well as her personality.'' The remarks, made in connection with Princess Masako's health, created tension in the royal family.

In a news conference on Feb. 21, two days before his 45th birthday, the crown prince offered an official apology for the remarks.

''I made the remarks out of hope that people would be made aware of the situation Masako was in. Nonetheless, I feel sorry for causing trouble for both the emperor and the empress over the remarks,'' the prince said in a soft-spoken manner.

The prince ''reaffirmed the family ties,'' a senior Imperial Household Agency official said.

Nine months ago, the crown prince said the diplomat-turned princess ''has completely exhausted herself'' in trying to adapt to life in the imperial family since their marriage in June 1993.

Recalling the prince in the days when the crown princess's health was unstable, an agency official said he ''seemed to have built a wall around himself.''

The 41-year-old princess has been diagnosed as suffering from an ''adjustment disorder'' due to stress arising from her status and busy schedule, according to the agency. She has been mostly out of public view since December 2003.

The explosive remarks by their eldest son were completely unexpected for Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. There were days when the couple looked deeply shocked, their aides said.

''I was very surprised. There are still some things that I have not yet fully understood,'' the emperor said in a written message on the occasion of his birthday in December.

The emperor also expressed concerns that the crown prince's remarks had ignited media speculation about a family rift in connection with Crown Princess Masako's health.

Aides to the royal family often refer to the emperor as ''Chiyoda'' and the crown prince as ''Akasaka'' as the Imperial Palace is located in Tokyo's Chiyoda area and the crown prince's residence in Moto-Akasaka.

''We were worried that Chiyoda and Akasaka may have become deeply estranged,'' the agency official said.

Efforts to mend fences started in July when the emperor and empress visited Akasaka out of concerns about the health of Crown Princess Masako. In August Empress Michiko visited the crown princess by herself, according to agency officials.

In September, the prince and princess visited the palace for the first time in a long while, spending time talking with the emperor and empress.

Earlier this month, the crown prince visited the Imperial Palace alone and had dinner with his parents. Their aides believe the crown prince decided to apologize after this occasion.

On Feb. 20, the crown prince enjoyed viewing the ume blossoms near his residence together with his parents and his younger sister Princess Sayako, the officials said.

The embarrassing atmosphere generated by the prince's remarks in May was no longer apparent, an aide said.

An analyst sees the apology by the crown prince as marking an end to the saga over his remarks and helping dampen down media coverage of the matter.

''The last nine months were quite unusual for the imperial family,'' Hiroshi Takahashi, a professor at Shizuoka University of Welfare, said.

There has been a strong belief among the aides that ''to keep attracting media attention does not necessarily benefit the imperial household,'' said Takahashi, an expert on imperial household affairs.

But Takahashi also suggested Crown Prince Naruhito had no choice but to apologize because he underestimated the impact of his May remarks.

''I doubt he had imagined his remarks would have such a huge impact. Actually, it was totally unexpected for him to be criticized by some agency officials for speaking too much,'' Takahashi said.

In the birthday press conference, the crown prince, commenting on his official duty, said, ''I will share pleasure and pain with the Japanese people while wishing for their happiness and having sympathy for people in hardship.''

The remarks are apparently in complete harmony with the policy and thinking of Emperor Akihito 60 years ago when he was an 11-year-old crown prince in 1945, following Japan's defeat in World War II.

''I saw (Crown Prince Naruhito's) stance come to resemble the emperor's,'' an aide said, but added that this is just the beginning. ''How the crown prince will step toward a new era has yet to be tested.''