Some segments of the media interpreted such anomalies as signs of pregnancy, but the story really got a boost when the Asahi, which is Japan's newspaper of record, said that she was pregnant. Masako was relatively insulated from the press pack while inside the palace, but the media frenzy reached its peak on Dec. 13 when the princess was driven to a Tokyo hospital for comprehensive ultrasound testing. Her car was pursued by a caravan of newspaper reporters, while television cameramen hovered overhead in helicopters. The saturation coverage even prompted the Imperial Household Agency to officially protest that the press was violating the couple's human rights and privacy. And considerable public interest surrounds the question of when Masako and her husband will produce an heir to the Japanese throne.
History weighs heavily on the young couple's shoulders.
Legend traces their family back some 2,800 years, while historical evidence documents the dynasty's lineage in an unbroken line at least to the 6th century. As the years have passed, speculation has mounted that the couple might be seeking professional help, although the Asahi emphasized in its earlier reporting that no advanced fertilization techniques were used. Experts said that the princess still had good prospects of having a baby. Women who once get pregnant can easily get pregnant again. But Masako has other odds to worry about - that if she does get pregnant again, the child will be a girl.