Japan fixated on royal birth
Ap, Tokyo
The expectant mother is at the hospital and the news conference schedule is set. Stocks of maternity product companies are rallying and some Japanese are even predicting a mini-baby boom. Japan is fixating this week on the birth of Princess Kiko's baby, scheduled for Wednesday by Caesarean section. There's good reason for all the attention: The birth of a boy would give the ancient Chrysanthemum Throne its first male heir in 40 years. "I'm hoping for a healthy baby. This is such happy news," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters late Tuesday at his official residence. "It would be even better if this makes young people want to have more babies," he added, in reference to Japan's declining birth rate. Much is riding on the gender of the infant, which will have a major impact on a heated debate over whether the 1947 imperial succession law should be changed to allow a female to assume the throne for the first time in centuries.
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