The curse that seemingly afflicts Japan's imperial family has struck once again. Two months before Princess Kiko is due to give birth to the child that might be - if it is a boy - the heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne, palace officials announced last week that there are complications in the pregnancy.
And while the problem is fairly routine and will probably only require the princess giving birth by Caesarian section, the implications go much further.
Aged 39, the wife of Prince Akishino already has two daughters and has displayed symptoms of partial placenta previa, according to royal doctor Ichiro Kanazawa. The condition is caused by the placenta descending too low in the uterus, which can obstruct the baby's path during birth.
Dr Kanazawa, in a statement released by the Imperial Household Agency, said that both the princess and her baby are in good health, although, 'the princess will have to rest for some time'.
The likelihood of a Caesarian delivery, however, will reduce the possibility of the princess having a fourth child. And if this child is yet another female, Japan will still be lacking the boy that is required for succession.
'This baby is the last throw of the dice for the imperial family as it is today,' said Toshiko Marks, a professor of multicultural understanding at Shumei University. 'If the pregnancy and birth had gone ahead naturally, then she would have been able to have more children if this one turns out to be a girl. After invasive surgery, and at her age, I don't think there's much hope of that.'