TOKYO, June 9 (UPI) -- Japan's crown prince, distressed over his wife's apparent depression, has made an unprecedented public appeal on behalf of the crown princess.
In a written statement broadcast on Japanese television, Crown Prince Naruhito spoke of the burdens that turned Princess Masako from a confident diplomat into a virtual prisoner in her own palace, the Times of London reported Wednesday.
"Problems such as the so-called heir to the imperial throne," he said, referring to his wife's failure to produce a son, "and the fact that we are not allowed to visit foreign countries are attracting excessive attention.
"The Crown Princess has had to make tremendous efforts not only with those problems, but also with tradition and customs, dealing with the press,and adapting herself to the environment of the imperial family."
The frankness of his comments suggest a rift with both his father, Emperor Akihito, and Toshio Yuasa, head of the Imperial Household Agency.
