Following comments by Crown Prince Naruhito about the well-being of his wife Masako, the emperor and empress of Japan have instructed the Imperial Household Agency not to respond to media enquiries on the subject.
The multilingual princess, who was a successful diplomat before her marriage, is understood to be unhappy about her role within the royal family. It is a situation which has brought her and her husband, who has consistently appealed for his wife to be allowed more freedom, into conflict with the Household Agency. Masako is reported to have been suffering from stress for a long while, and was hospitalised last December suffering from shingles, a stress-related condition.
In a report published in The Guardian newspaper, an official, apparently acting as a mouthpiece for the emperor and empress, is quoted as saying: “If many of the news reports are based on assumptions that there are problems involving the family, we do not think it would benefit the country to explain every one of them. We do not want the Imperial Household Agency to waste energy explaining each report. The Agency can keep quiet from now on."
The pronouncement highlights ongoing tensions within the Japanese royal household. Masako was a reluctant bride, turning down Naruhito’s proposal twice, apparently out of concerns over her future role. She was eventually won over when the crown prince promised: "You might have fears and worries about joining the Imperial Household. But I will protect you my entire life." In the 11 years that they have been married, however, overseas-educated Masako has left Japan only five times.
The couple, who have a daughter, Aiku, are believed to be frustrated by the pressure to produce a male heir, and the associated restrictions being placed upon them. While Naruhito attended the weddings of Prince Frederik of Denmark and Prince Felipe of Spain earlier this year, his wife was unable to accompany him. She has not been seen in public for six months.
At the time, in an unprecedented move which clearly indicated all was not well, the crown prince spoke out, saying there were moves “to destroy Masako's career and her personality.” While he stopped short of laying direct blame, his comments are widely understood to have been aimed at the conservative and all-powerful Household Agency.
Although he apologised for any distress his remarks may have caused his parents, Naruhito has refused to withdraw them.
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