Imperial Valley press., 1933-12-23
HEIR BORN
To EMPEROR
Of APANESE
Birth OF Crown Prince Brings
Happiness To Subjects After
Long Anxiety.
ENTIRE NATION REJOICES
Will Continue Unbroken Line
Founded $500 Years Ago By
Goddess OF Sun.

TOXIC, Dec. %. UP)-A son. the
long-awaited crown prince of the
imperial family of Japan, was born
today to Empress Nagaku amid the
rich medieval ritualism which sur
rounds the worlds oldest dynasty.
News of the birth of the first male
child of Emperor Hirohito and the
empress brought great rejoicing
among their 95000,000 subjects
whom the newcomer, should he live,
will some day rule as the 125th mi
kado, continuing the unbroken line
founded $500 years ago by Mater
asu Omikani, goddess of the sun.
Almost Immediately after the
birth at 6:39 a. m. the announce
ment was given the press and the
radio to be broadcast to a waiting
people whose prayers had been for
boy. The four previous children
OF the royal pair had been girls.
Three of them survive.
Sirens, too, spread the glad It'd
ings through the city of Toxic and
brought peans of thanksgiving from
the people.
The empress had gone to a spe-
cial building in secluded part OF
the great moat-encircled Imperial
palace for the long-expected event.
There doctors and nurses trained in
the Shinto ritual and taught the
"yamamato kotaka," the ancient
court language of Japan, attended
the princess whom Hirohito, then
crown prince, had married in 1924.
The emperor, waiting in side
room of the special building, was
the first to receive the news of the
birth of the seven pound, three
ounce child He reported it to his
court attaches who, in turn started
the chain which spread the report
throughout the world.
The child will be named the sew
enth day after its birth, according
to the ancient ritual. A list of names
will be submitted to the emperor. He
will choose the one by which his
first son and future successor will
! be known. s..l.
Empire RejOices
On the same day the emperor ana
empress will exchange the golden
carp, symbolic of bravery and
strength.
The birth of a male child an
swered not only the prayers of the
imperial couple but of the empire
, as well. The emperor and his queen
had spent hours at prayer before
shrines throughout the country be-
fore the hour of confinement ar
rived.
Omens in which the japanese
people placed great faith had indi-
Gated that the child would be a boy.
A turtle that came voluntarily out
of the sea was regarded as the
, most prcpitious sign. The event in
dicated to believers that the child
would live as long and be as wise
and strong as the turtle.
The new born heir of the ancient
throne was born into family that
leads a more restricted life than
that of any other ruling family. BY
Shinto law he is a descendant OF
the gods and may not mix with his
subjects. although he must attend
scores of ceremonies throughout the
year. Almost every action must be
in accord with the laws traditional
ly handed down from the ancient
Yamato tribesmen who founded Ja-
pan.
His lot was made easier by the
"liberalizing" attitude of the En-
peror Meiji, the founder of modern
Japan and of his own father, who,
when he became emperor, elevated
his wife to the throne over the Bit
ter opposition to the elder states
men.
News OF the arrival of an heir to
the Mikado was joyously received
by members OF Ell Centro IS japanese
colony. who, in common with all
their countrymen, have been anx-
iously awaiting it.
Leaders in the colony said today
that a celebration may later be
held in honor of the occasion but
that plans have not as yet been
adopted
COFTRT EENTENT