Japan's Princess gives birth to male heir.

[alcuno]

It's a boy...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060906/ts_nm/japan_royal_boy_dc_3

"TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Princess Kiko gave birth on Wednesday to a baby boy -- the first male heir to be born into the ancient imperial family in more than four decades, the Imperial Household Agency said on Wednesday.
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The birth of a boy, who will be third in line after his uncle and his father, is likely to dampen debate on letting women inherit the throne -- an idea opposed by conservatives eager to preserve a tradition they say stretches back more than 2,000 years.

An Imperial Household Agency official told reporters Kiko had given birth by a Caesarean operation to the 2,558 gram boy at 8:27 a.m. (2327 GMT)."

[NMDemDist2]

1. good for them! it's been tough for them n/t

[Critters2]

2. I kinda feel bad about this

Poor Masako. Demonstrates what an outmoded institution monarchy is.

[LostinVA]

3. Me too

[breakaleg]

4. I'm happy for her - now maybe she can be left in peace.

[Debau2005]

9. I think the masses

tend to forget that it is the MAN that determines the sex, not the female. So maybe his male sperm was the problem and not her.

But yes, I am happy that the spot light may now be lifted from her personal business.

[PassingFair]

10. Not the same Princess...

this one is married to the 2nd in line.

The "unhappy" Princess is married to the first in line
and has a daughter, an only child.

[breakaleg]

11. it is the same. She was under so much pressure to produce a son

it's caused her emotional problems and she's had to pull out of the public for a few years.

[Gormy Cuss]

14. No, you have confused the two.

Crown Prince Naruhito's wife Masako is the one who has withdrawn and had 'emotional problems' over their failure to produce a male heir. After years of fertility problems they had a daughter. The baby born today is their nephew -- that's why he is third in line to the throne.

[breakaleg]

17. you're right! I am confused!

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. The way the article is worded would make one think so, but it is

the other princess, Masako, who has had emotional troubles...

I quote:

"Some sympathizers of Masako, a Harvard-educated former diplomat who has been suffering from a mental illness caused by the stress of adapting to rigid royal life -- including pressure to bear a male heir -- think she'd be happier if a boy is born."


Kiko is married to the second son, and also the one who just delivered. :hi:

[Crunchy Frog]

18. She wasn't the one who was under all the pressure.

That would be Crown Princess Masako. I'm not aware that Princess Akishino, who just had the baby, has been under any particular pressure to bear a son, except by troglodytes who didn't want to mess with Japan's succession laws.

[xchrom]

5. in spite of the debate on women and the throne --

my congrats to the couple.

[Posteritatis]

20. This is the correct sentiment. (n/t)

[Exultant Democracy]

6. And the world welcomes another monarch...poor kid

my heart goes out to him.

[liberal N proud]

7. I was hoping for a girl

They are so much easier to raise than boys. I always wanted my wife to have a boy but after watching people raise boys, I am glad we had girls.

Besides, all this bull about Japan needing a male heir to the throne needs to be put to bed. Allow the women to run things, us men have screwed things up pretty bad.

[shanti]

13. heh!

i wanted all girls and guess what? four boys! looking back tho, i'm glad i had my sons. some of these girls nowadays are pretty wild.

[Drum]

23. I echo your final sentiment completely! n/t

[Dulcinea]

24. I don't know about that!

I was hoping for boys, but I got 2 smart, stubborn, strong-willed daughters. The grass is always greener....

[dorktv]

8. You know, I want to see some cross-marriages in the remaining

royals...Imagine if Prince William's daughter marries this kid or one of the Jordanian Princes marries one of the Malaysian princesses...

Seriously, it would be so cool.

[Benhurst]

12. I'm glad mother and child are doing well.

But is it a cause for worldwide celebration that a descendant of the war criminal Hirohito has been born to ascend the Chrysanthemum throne?

[XemaSab]

31. I can't think of a single royal

anywhere in the world that doesn't have a few pretty crappy ancestors.

The current British royals are decended from some pretty shady characters.

[sweetheart]

15. only 1 hare

usually they're born in groups. How did she get pregnant with a bunny?

...probably AI, too bad she had a hare, instead of a baby, she might be happier.

[Skittles]

19. pure f***ing SEXIST CRAP

:puke:

[heliarc]

21. Exactly right n/t

[Drum]

22. "the 2,558 gram boy"

Call me a Luddite, call me old-fashioned or sheltered, but the metric system---while superior in many ways---just leaves me cold when it's newborns we're talking about.
:shrug:

[Art_from_Ark]

25. 5.6 pounds

I'm a Luddite, too. I've been in Japan for quite some time and it's still grating to hear the English-language media here refer to a "two thousand, five hundred and fifty-eight gram baby".

[Drum]

27. ...

:)

[Love Bug]

26. All hail the mighty 21st digit!

:sarcasm:

That said, congrats to the couple. Maybe now the powers-that-be there can calm the fuck down.

[AngryAmish]

28. I am always surprised to hear royalty supporters on a progressive website

Royalty is automatically against everything we are supposed top stand for - genetic privilege, inherited wealth, lack of equality and all that stuff.

It was deeply humiliating to see how our country carried on when the dim-wit Princess Diana died. That vapid woman was deeply praised for spending small amounts of time on charity when she lived a life of privilege and riches that 99.99% of people will never do. But she was pretty so folks liked to worship her. If I am embarrassed for the way our fellow Americans reacted then the was the Britons actions are so much so.

[raccoon]

29. Unbelievable, the sexism. How many centuries has it been

since a monarch actually led his troops into battle?

I remember hearing that a few years ago, in Sweden, the law had been changed so that the oldest child, regardless of sex, succeeds to the throne. All countries that still have monarchies need to do that, IMO.

[donsu]

30. I'm sorry it wasn't a girl because then the Japanese govt. would have

to deal with a woman on the throne. poor things.

how misogynist can a country be - shame on Japan.

[EnviroBat]

32. Guess What?

Don't give a flying crap! Sick of hearing about this filler already. I found the dog who's been crapping in my yard! Now THAT'S NEWS!!!