Princess Kiko of Japan, wife of the Emperor's second son, is expecting the couple's third child in early September.
Since no male child has been born into the Imperial family for forty years, this imminent birth has reignited the debate over whether Japan should let women ascend to the throne. Under current law, if the baby is a boy, he automatically takes precedence over girls, and will eventually become Emperor and the figurehead of Shintoism, Japan's traditional religion.
If the baby is a girl, there will be even more pressure to review current laws on royal succession to allow the Crown Prince's daughter, five-year old Aiko to succeed.
Judi Herman reports from Japan, where she tested opinion among worshippers in the country's Shinto shrines and found out about the origins of the beliefs behind the male succession laws. |
