But I hope everyone will observe it quietly. Masako's father, Hisashi Owada, was equally cautious. The Japanese media has acknowledged it was at fault before, but it remains to be seen how restrained it can be, given the immense public interest in the pregnancy. We take the criticism. The birth of their baby will lighten up people's hearts amid depressing news ranging from economic recession to political uncertainty.
Expectations already appear to be outstripping reality.
Although it is too early to be sure the pregnancy will go to term, speculation has already begun about whether the baby will be a boy or a girl, and the impact it will have on the economy and Japan's low birthrate. The former question is of particular interest to feminists, who want to see a change in Japan's laws of succession to allow a woman to inherit the throne. There have been several precedents. Before the current rules were introduced in the last century, Japan had been ruled by 10 empresses, the last being Go-Sakuramachi, who abdicated in 1771. Last April, the imperial household agency considered the possibility of reverting to such a system in a study paper that assessed the options if no boys are born in future.