Japan's princess Masako makes rare public appearance

Crown Princess Masako and husband Naruhito at the Unicef ceremony in Tokyo yesterday. Picture / Reuters

TOKYO - Japan's Crown Princess Masako appeared in public yesterday for the first time in months to attend a United Nations Children Fund's event in Tokyo with her husband.

Masako, who spent more than a year in seclusion with a stress-related illness, was last seen on January 2 briefly greeting New Year well-wishers from a palace balcony.

A former diplomat and Harvard graduate, Masako has suffered since her 1993 marriage from pressure to adjust to the conservative ways of one of the world's oldest monarchies. Royal watchers say that much of the stress has come from pressure to bear a male heir.

Masako and her husband, Crown Prince Naruhito, have one daughter, 3-year-old Aiko, but accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne is currently limited to males.

Yesterday, Naruhito and a relaxed-looking Masako, wearing a dark suit and a long scarf, arrived together to attend the Unicef event.

Neither made a speech.

- REUTERS