Most little girls are perfect angels, who never cause anyone anything but joy; Princess Aiko, The Princess Toshi, on the other hand, caused an entire constitutional crisis in Japan all by her cute little self.Women, you see, aren't allowed to be Emperor (or even Empress regnant) of Japan; the notable exceptions being from the time of Empress Gemmei - who was followed onto the throne by her daughter Empress Genshō in October 715 CE - and before. While Empress Genshō had been Japan's sixth Empress regnant she was also the last...
But the Imperial Family, while renowned for their learning and charity, can't seem to produce a Y chromosome for love nor Yen. It looked like clear sailing all the way to the Chrysanthemum Throne for little Aiko here (born on this day in 2001); until, that is, the arrival of Prince Hisahito in September 2006.
Only time will tell if the Japanese - whose society has been straining at the seams for a couple of decades now owing to its hidebound adherence to orthodoxy - will some day choose a little girl to lead them...
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