The Wilmington morning star., 1945-12-25
Jap CROWN PRINCE
PRACTICAL MINDED
~ MORRIE LANDSBERG

.,ou1l prince VI Japan a Stuo
elo' long .legged, apparently nor
ny, how of ~ who likes birds
mo- sdel construction sets, Mickey
molse, poetry and who inquired
recently;
,nooetber, Prince Akihito Tsu'
1nNo.Miya-potential ruler of TO-
s sg ooo-impressed me as being a
l'v' otical minded young fellow. ]
p',s.rrviewed him today at his
me. .b home-big, formal Alaska
w. r.o first son of Emperor Hiro-
-. -, nlaved in the palace garden
NV Nv fellow students Of the School
WIZ y peers. and later answered writ
len questions
", ,,ue might get flustered talking
~ j. Stranger" said old Baron
, ~ his grand chamberlain.
~ ~. WI, we're an American boy"
.sted the prince, what would
a .sk Santa Claus to bring you
tr Christmas?"
.libitos reply was, IS m e
.. nh hens" 1t seems that the
ssnst black-haired crown prince
! !. rerv fond of poultry. On his
wing walks before breakfast, he
i ,liy in on his private chicken
s nVrs to see if the Leghorns have
laid any eggs.
trouble is, the Leghorns aren't
..od PRODUCERS. The prince thinks
ssochins would do better.
There were two swans which
,tibito regarded as his special
.s One of them died. He insist
u sS' m taking the other with him
=. ~ Nikko, where he lived and at
.scded the School of Peers during
he latter part Of the war. He
,,sed rabbits there, too.
At Nikko, students had lake
,iis playground. Baron Hozumi
, ssd the prince used to retrieve
rsdjsh and other plants floating in
+se lake and have them planted
IN the garden at the summer
palace.
HE took pity on the plants,
said the Baron.
Akihito. who will be IL on De-
cpmber %, and his 10-year-old
brotber. Masahito Yoshi-No- Miya,
live apart from the imperial fami-
X in the massive old palace where
HE emperor once received foreign
visitors, 1t is across the street
rom the moat of the imperial pal
ace grounds. The new site of the
School of Peers is conveniently
adjacent.
The crown prince and his
brother spend Sundys with their
,srents and four sisters. First,
however, Akihito sits down with
his grand chamberlain for a week
" discussion of world affairs and
the situation in japan.
His highness is very interested
in America" said Baron Hozumi,
who looks after the boy protective
" and with evident fondness.
In one of these discussions a few
weeks ago, Akihito asked sudden
ly what is democracy" Hozumi
said he described it as governing
people according to thfir own
wishes and for the happiness OF
all the people" The Baron added
that the prince seemed to like the
idea.
The prince told me he pre-
terred an American model con-
struction set above all his toys.
His favorite game is "kick bal"
which is baseball with kicking a
hard rubber ball substituted for
batting.
He hasn't started to study Eng
lsh yet, but his first three choices
among t III e translated English
books he has read are Robinson
Crusoe, Little Lord Fauntleroy
and Peter Pan. He also has read
Mark Twain's Prince and the
Pauper, the Three Musketeers and
Uncle Toms Cabin.
American m owl es were not
shown in the palace during the
war, but Akihito remembers early
Mickey Mouse films with great de-
Aght. American newsreels, too.
apparently made an impression
On him.
The crown prince follows a reg
uated schedule under which he
never is alone. except when he
goes to bed. He arises at Z am,
akes walk in the garden and
performs Danish style" calls
nenlcs. His breakfast consists OF
"asE, milk and fried eggs.
ne attends Sixth grade classes
a. school three hours daily, study
as arithmetic, reading, history,
geography, writing and manlLl
slS Although school is dismissed
q. noon, he carries his own lunch
VI rice, fish and beans $50 he
boys"
IN the afternoon, he studies for
Ill nour Or two and then goes out
play. His favorite diversions
nc horseback riding and boating
n MS own garden pond. He
s rssh ride any more because the
ssa aos were damaged during