How many steps forwards - or backwards - for Japanese royal ladies?

Breathed a sigh of relief on behalf of Princess Masako at the recent news that the Japanese government was considering legal changes that would allow for girls to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne as Empresses.

Then, whoa, there was this piece about Prince Tomohito, a cousin of Emperor Akihito and fifth in line for the throne, pouring cold water on the whole idea. His views were echoed by the Foreign Minister, who happens to be his brother-in-law. It seems Prince Tomohito's views are seen as reflecting that of the imperial family. Well, being conservative is one thing, but he seems to be harking back to the rather distant past because one of his alternatives (to allowing females to ascend the throne) is to bring back the practice of taking concubines! I suppose that would increase the chances of male heirs being produced, but I wonder what his wife (and mother of is 2 daughters) thinks of that suggestion. Before we slam the man, though, I suppose we should understand that he is but a product of the system, a still very conservative imperial system, and, well, perhaps that is the way many imperial family members think.

Then there is Crown Prince Naruhito's sister Princess Sayako's, impending marriage to a commoner, Naruhito himself being the last person to have married a commoner (Masako). Masako became a Princess because she married Naruhito, the Crown Prince. But Sayako will cease being princess because she marries a commoner. Her children, male or otherwise, will not be in line to succeed to the throne. That is one thing, and I suppose she is fully prepared and accepting of that, but the other thing is will she be able to cope with life as a commoner, having lived her 35 years so far as a royal? For her sake, I hope it turns out well for her and that she doesn't get stressed out and depressed, etc, as did Masako when she became a commoner-turned-royal.

Comments

True train school

‘Having eyes, but not seeing beauty; having ears, but not hearing music; having minds, but not perceiving truth; having hearts that are never moved and therefore never set on fire. These are the things to fear, said the headmaster.’ How would you like to have such a headmaster? I finally re-read (read it first as a teenager) Totto-chan, The Little Girl at the Window , a ‘school story’ by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, translated by Dorothy Britton. Totto-chan is the name Tesuko Kuroyanagi called herself, and the book is about her life during her school days at Tomoe Gakuen. Totto-chan was expelled from her first elementary school because of her ‘disruptive’ behaviour, which included constantly opening and closing her desk top (because she was so thrilled by it), ‘vandalising’ her desk (because there wasn’t enough space on the piece of paper to draw) and standing by the classroom window waiting for street musicians to pass by or talking to swallows. Her mother, although probably alarmed about the ...

No wonder

According to a poll of about 300 people, reported in yesterday's Sunday Times, (how come nobody ever asks me these things?) , the Seven Wonders of Singapore are (in order of merit): 1. The Esplanade (a whopping 82 votes) 2. Changi Airport (53 votes) 3. Sentosa 4. The Merlion 5. The Singapore River 6. Food 7. Mount Faber and LKY (tie - 10 votes each) Some 'offbeat choices' which didn't make it to the top 7: aunties selling tissue paper at coffee shops, Singlish, kiasuism, 4D-Toto outlets and Newater (said someone of Newater: 'We are probably the only country with branded recycled sewage.' Well said, ha ha.). Maybe it's a personal bias but I feel that a 'Wonder' must also have strong historical and cultural/social value (so I'm rather miffed that Angkor Wat didn't make it to the 7 Wonders of the World; in fact it was never in the running for the top 7). Therefore, these choices are a little too modern for me. The Esplanade, for example, is a...

He like dat say one meh?

Apparently, that 'English as it is broken' book has been topping the charts at our local bookstores. Actually, I'm not too interested in that book but this other one may be worth getting my hands on. The article about it, as published in Saturday's (1 Sept) ST: In the world of international diplomacy, the best-chosen words or phrases can leave an audience laughing, bewildered or simply lost in translation, an insider has revealed. Undiplomatic Activities, a yet-to-be-launched book by Mr Richard Woolcott, who ran Australia's foreign service for four years, points to the pitfalls of translating thoughts into different languages. Take the Australian diplomat in France who tried to tell his audience that as he looked back on his career, it was divided in two parts, with dull postings before life in Paris. 'When I look at my backside, I find it is divided into two parts,' Mr Woolcott quoted the diplomat as telling his highly amused audience. Ex-Australian prime m...

my ajumma notes

Search This Blog