Japan crown princess turns 43, slowly recovering

Tokyo, Dec 9: Japanese Crown Princess Masako turned 43 today and said she was slowly recovering from the stress-related illness that has kept her largely out of public view for the past three years.

But her doctors say that while her condition has improved, she still tires easily and continues to require treatment after years of stress caused by adapting to palace life, including pressure to bear a male heir.

That pressure eased somewhat in September after Princess Kiko gave birth to Prince Hisahito, the first male heir born to the imperial family in more than 40 years.

Masako and Crown Prince Naruhito have a five-year-old daughter, Aiko.

''With the warm support of the crown prince, I have slowly begun to improve,'' Masako said in a statement. ''Under the direction of my doctors, I have gradually begun to expand the number of activities I pursue, including public duties.'' Royal watchers said that Masako might well be searching for a meaningful life role to play. She had originally hoped to act as a ''royal envoy'' after her marriage, but her travel has been restricted by court officials.

''People who have suffered from illness often find a way to help other people, and this will help her as well,'' said Midori Watanabe, a royal expert and author. ''She's very smart, so I imagine she will be able to find something and recover.'' Tabloid magazines have reported that the Harvard-educated former diplomat goes horseback riding and plays tennis. She also attends lectures at the United Nations University in Tokyo.

Others said that Masako has the potential to have a positive impact through the support of social causes due to the symbolic influence of her position as crown princess and future empress.

''If she felt that she was making a societal difference, that might help her interpret her life within the imperial family as meaningful,'' said Kenneth Ruoff, author of ''The People's Emperor,'' a study of the modern-day Japanese monarchy.

Many of Masako's public appearances have involved her daughter Aiko, including an outing with Naruhito to see sumo and Aiko's school sports day.

The birth of Hisahito, the child of Emperor Akihito's second son, Prince Akishino, effectively shelved discussions of a planned change in Japanese inheritance law to permit women to ascend the throne.

This has left Aiko's future, and to a certain extent Masako's future as well, in limbo.

Masako expressed pleasure at Hisahito's birth, saying that she was happy that Aiko had gained ''another cute cousin''.

Her true feelings might well be a bit more mixed and include relief that Aiko will not become empress.

''It relieves the pressure on her to produce a male heir, but on the other hand it appears to mean that she is no longer in the position of grooming Princess Aiko to be the first empress to ascend the throne in the modern period,'' Ruoff said.

''It is possible that she now feels her role is all the more meaningless.''

Reuters