Japan’s Crown Princess Masako feels ‘insecure’ about her looming ascension to the throne but vows to serve
- Masako left a promising career as a diplomat to marry into the imperial family in 1993
Japan’s Crown Princess Masako on Sunday pledged to do her best despite feeling ‘insecure’ about becoming empress in mere months, in a candid statement released on her 55th birthday.
Emperor Akihito will step down on April 30, 2019 – the first abdication in the Japanese imperial family in more than two centuries.
His eldest son and Masako’s husband Naruhito will ascend to the throne the next day.
“Even though I feel insecure about how helpful I will be when I think about the days ahead … I want to devote myself to the happiness of the people so I will make an effort to that end,” said the crown princess.
The Harvard- and Oxford-educated Masako left a promising career as a diplomat to marry into the imperial family in 1993. She gave birth to Princess Aiko in 2001 but continued to face pressure to produce a son as only male heirs can take the throne under Japanese law.
The pressure eased in 2006, however, when her sister-in-law gave birth to Prince Hisahito, now 12.