Japan's crown couple have decided to break with tradition by spending their summer holidays in Europe. Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife Masako will be jetting into the Netherlands, along with their much talked-about daughter Aiko, for a two-week stay in August.
According to the Imperial Household, the family are hoping the trip will help Masako in her recovery from what it terms an adjustment disorder. The former diplomat has been the focus of much media attention since late 2003 when she stepped back from public engagements in an effort to overcome emotional difficulties.
It's widely believed the pressure on her to produce a male heir was the main reason for Masako's problems. Those worries presumably eased in recent months, as the Japanese government made moves to amend the constitution so as to allow Aiko access to the Chrysanthemum throne. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's plans are currently on hold, however, as the country's lawmakers wait to find out if her sister-in-law Kiko's pregnancy will deliver a male successor.
In the meantime the crown princess, who has already made some tentative steps back towards public life, is looking forward to spending some quality time with her nearest and dearest. No member of the Imperial family has ever travelled abroad for recuperation purposes before, but her in-laws Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have both given their backing to the trip.
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