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| Japan awaits news on royal baby | Japan awaits news on royal baby |
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| Excitement is mounting in Japan ahead of the expected arrival of a royal baby who could resolve the country's succession crisis. | Excitement is mounting in Japan ahead of the expected arrival of a royal baby who could resolve the country's succession crisis. |
| Princess Kiko, wife of the emperor's second son, is due to give birth to her third child in a Tokyo hospital on Wednesday, two weeks early. | |
| She is to undergo a Caesarean section after complications in the pregnancy. | |
| At present, only men can ascend the throne, but the current emperor's children are yet to produce a boy. | At present, only men can ascend the throne, but the current emperor's children are yet to produce a boy. |
| The present heir, Crown Prince Naruhito, and his wife, Princess Masako, have a young daughter, while Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko have two daughters. | The present heir, Crown Prince Naruhito, and his wife, Princess Masako, have a young daughter, while Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko have two daughters. |
| SUCCESSION PRESSURES Currently only males can ascend the Japanese throneEmperor Akihito has two sons, Naruhito and AkishinoIf Naruhito died without a male heir, Akishino succeedsHis wife, Kiko, is now pregnantPrincess Sayako married a commoner so her children cannot ascend throne End of royal reform? | SUCCESSION PRESSURES Currently only males can ascend the Japanese throneEmperor Akihito has two sons, Naruhito and AkishinoIf Naruhito died without a male heir, Akishino succeedsHis wife, Kiko, is now pregnantPrincess Sayako married a commoner so her children cannot ascend throne End of royal reform? |
| Princess Sayako is married to a commoner, so if she were to have children they could not be considered. | Princess Sayako is married to a commoner, so if she were to have children they could not be considered. |
| Coverage | Coverage |
| The pregnancy has attracted enormous interest in Japan. | |
| Princess Kiko, 39, has been in hospital since 16 August because of symptoms of partial placenta previa, a condition in which part of the placenta drops too low in the uterus. | Princess Kiko, 39, has been in hospital since 16 August because of symptoms of partial placenta previa, a condition in which part of the placenta drops too low in the uterus. |
| Doctors said when she went into hospital that the move was precautionary and the pregnancy was proceeding well. | Doctors said when she went into hospital that the move was precautionary and the pregnancy was proceeding well. |
| Conservatives are hoping that Princess Kiko will give birth to a boy, thereby bringing an end to debate on whether the constitution should be revised to allow women to ascend the throne. | Conservatives are hoping that Princess Kiko will give birth to a boy, thereby bringing an end to debate on whether the constitution should be revised to allow women to ascend the throne. |
| Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had been advocating such a reform, and there appeared to be support for it amongst the Japanese public. | Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had been advocating such a reform, and there appeared to be support for it amongst the Japanese public. |
| But the reform plans were shelved, amid strong opposition from conservative palace officials and some politicians, when the royal pregnancy was announced. | But the reform plans were shelved, amid strong opposition from conservative palace officials and some politicians, when the royal pregnancy was announced. |
| Japanese media are set to give the birth comprehensive coverage and have begun to speculate on the gender of the baby. | Japanese media are set to give the birth comprehensive coverage and have begun to speculate on the gender of the baby. |
| But Mr Koizumi was more circumspect. | But Mr Koizumi was more circumspect. |
| "I'm hoping for a healthy baby. This is such happy news," he told journalists. "It would be even better if this makes young people want to have more babies." | "I'm hoping for a healthy baby. This is such happy news," he told journalists. "It would be even better if this makes young people want to have more babies." |
| Japan's birth rate has continued to decline in recent years and the government has been working on ways of persuading women to have more children. | Japan's birth rate has continued to decline in recent years and the government has been working on ways of persuading women to have more children. |
| Baby and maternity product companies are also hoping the birth, whether a boy or a girl, will benefit them. | Baby and maternity product companies are also hoping the birth, whether a boy or a girl, will benefit them. |
| Shares in baby-linked firms rose ahead of the birth, with one baby food company's shares hitting a high for the year on Monday, the Associated Press news agency reported. | Shares in baby-linked firms rose ahead of the birth, with one baby food company's shares hitting a high for the year on Monday, the Associated Press news agency reported. |