Japan's Crown prince grateful for supportTOKYO -- Crown Prince Naruhito returned Monday from royal weddings in Europe to a furor over his suggestion that unidentified palace forces contributed to his wife's stress-induced illness.
Naruhito drew attention to Crown Princess Masako's troubles before his European trip by issuing an unprecedented rebuke of palace officials for restricting his wife's activities. Palace officials scrambled to respond, saying they would ask the crown prince to explain more fully when he returned home. Masako did not accompany Naruhito to royal weddings in Denmark and Spain because she has not fully recovered since suffering from shingles -- a skin rash often induced by stress and fatigue. She has stayed out of the public eye since December. In a statement issued upon his return, Naruhito lamented Masako's absence during his travels and thanked others for their support. "It is truly unfortunate the crown princess was unable to accompany me. I am grateful for the encouragement I received from the people I met from various countries and for their inquiries" into how Masako was doing, Naruhito said. "I would be happy if the two of us could make the trip together some day." In remarks to the media on May 10, the prince criticized unnamed individuals for denying his wife's right to be herself. "Masako has tried her best these 10 years to try to adjust to palace life, but it has exhausted her," Naruhito said then. "It is true that there have been movements to deny Masako's career and her character." Analysts say Naruhito was blaming officials at the Imperial Household Agency, which tightly controls affairs of the royal family and has a reputation of being exceedingly conservative. Masako, a Harvard-educated former diplomat fluent in several languages, has only been abroad five times since her 1993 wedding -- a restriction that "greatly distressed" his wife, Naruhito said.
The princess also faces heavy pressure to produce a royal heir. Masako, 40, and Naruhito, 44, have a daughter, but women cannot accede to the throne. © Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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