New Japanese Prince

Thank God! Japanese Pricess Kiko gave birth to a boy!

In Japan, The Emperor Akihito, 72, has 2 sons, 46-year-old Prince Naruhito and 41-year-old Prince Akishimo, and 1 daughter who has relinquished her imperial status. Prince Naruhito has 1 daughter and Prince Akishimo has 2 daughters, which means that the royal family doesn't have male heir.

So, problem raised: Years later, who will be the Japanese Emperor (or Empress)? Female is not treated equally as male in Shinto, and the 1947 law which is was made after World War Two limits imperal heirs to male only.

That's why the Japanese was preparing to change the law for Empress. The wives of the two Princes were over 38, which is a dangeous age for delivery, and they didn't actually want to have another child. Some people even proposed to resume the concubine system for Royal Family, in spide of the reality that the system was abandoned by the Emperor Akihito's father.

The discuss discussion was put in ice when Prince Akishimo announce his wife was pregnant 9 months ago. The conservatives had hope to have a male in the royal family now.

Today, Princess Kiko finally gave birth to a boy, what a relief! But the problem still exists: We all hope this boy become healthy in the next 40 years, but who can make sure that he will have son to inherit the family?

Another serious problem: Prince Akishimo and Princess Kiko had 2 daughters, and they didn't want to have more children. But when Japanese people long for a male heir to success succeed the family, they gave up their will to please people. They are treated as birth machine! Can you belive that happened in 21st centry?