Princess Aiko entered at Emperor Naruhito’s signal in an appearance that demonstrated the imperial family’s intention to place her in the spotlight. Imperial family history expert Hiroshi Shimada described the moment as a clear demonstration of the Imperial Household’s position.
Discussions continue in Japan on measures to guarantee the number of members of the imperial family, in preparation for the revision of the Imperial Household Law in the current session of the Diet. Hiroshi Shimada, a specialist in the history of the imperial family, states that, according to an opinion poll by the Asahi Shimbun, the number of people who accept a female-line emperor has already surpassed support for an empress. Conservatives argue that the public does not understand the difference between the concepts, but Shimada believes that the population is not that naive.
The day the will of the imperial family became clear
Father and daughter watch the “Imperial Game” of the Tokyo Big Six University League. On May 31, Emperor Naruhito and Princess Aiko attended the match between Waseda and Keio of the Tokyo Big Six University Baseball League at Jingu Stadium.
Recently, these events used to be attended by the whole family, including Empress Masako, but this time it was just father and daughter. Princess Aiko, dressed in an elegant light green outfit, visited the stadium alongside the Emperor.
The exhibition was possible because the Tokyo Big Six College Baseball League celebrated its centennial last year. Although the Emperor and members of the imperial family often attend celebratory occasions, the league stands out in the world of baseball: the winning team receives the Emperor’s Cup. Professional baseball teams do not receive the Emperor’s Cup, even if they win the Japan Series.
There is also an Emperor’s Cup for the national amateur baseball tournament, but this trophy has a different origin, donated by Emperor Showa. The current Emperor Naruhito is a baseball fan, and Empress Masako is known to have played club softball during her student days. Princess Aiko is also a high school baseball fan and seemed to know some of the Waseda and Keio players.
She watched the games closely during the matches and spoke to the captains of both teams afterwards. The fact that she is an avid baseball fan is one of the reasons audiences feel familiar with Princess Aiko. The game ended in a dramatic victory for Waseda University, generating great excitement. Meanwhile, with the revision of the Imperial Household Law being debated in the Diet, the desire for an “Empress Aiko” is gaining strength as never before.
The Diet’s measures to guarantee the number of members of the imperial family are far from public opinion
The two measures being debated in the Diet to guarantee the number of members of the imperial family are the creation of female imperial branches and the adoption of children from former imperial families. There are objections to both proposals, and it is not yet known whether a plan will be finalized or whether the Imperial Household Law will be revised.
On the other hand, public demand for an empress or empress of female lineage is growing, and the focus of the debate gradually turns to this. A wide gap emerged between the debate in the Diet and public opinion. In a national telephone survey by the Asahi Shimbun carried out on May 16 and 17, 72% of respondents supported an empress, a percentage that rose to 74% in the case of an empress of female lineage.
When Princess Kiko of the Akishino family announced her pregnancy in 2006, support waned for a while. Recently, however, support for female empresses or a maternal-line empress has strengthened, matching or surpassing pre-2006 levels. Ironically, the more conservatives cling to male-line succession, the stronger the calls for an empress or a maternal-line empress become.
