Japan's Emperor Akihito has used his traditional birthday address to break his silence over the crown princess' ongoing troubles. Speaking from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, the monarch, who has just turned 71, also expressed his surprise at his son's outspoken remarks earlier in the year.
"It was the first time for me also to hear it," he said. "The crown prince's words sparked speculation not based on facts and there were often days when I was downcast."
The emperor was referring to an incident last May when Naruhito said his wife's personality and career had been negated by the pressures of her role. Masako, who had a promising career as a diplomat before marrying into the royal household, has been suffering from a stress-induced illness for nearly a year.
But Akihito seemed to indicate that he and his wife had been largely unaware of their daughter-in-law's difficulties: "It is regrettable if our respect for the independence of the crown prince and crown princess, who maintain their own independent household, has proved to be the cause of our failure to notice these various problems," he said.
Some 14,000 people gathered in the Chowa Pavilion to hear the emperor make his annual speech. The crowd waved flags and cheered "Banzai" – meaning "live long" – as the ruler expressed his wish for Masako's swift recovery. "I sincerely hope that in frankly conveying the hopes that they now have, the crown prince and crown princess will be able to move towards the realisation of these hopes and that this will bring them stability and brightness in their life together," he affirmed.
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