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Japan's imperial birthday present

TOKYO, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Japan's Princess Aiko, who could become the first female successor to the imperial throne, turned 4 Thursday as the country considered new succession laws.

New pictures of the princess showed her finger painting and picking oranges with her parents, Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako, in the palace grounds, reported Britain's Daily Telegraph. The princess will start kindergarten next year.

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The government plans to submit a bill next year to enable women to reign, the report said. There is a dearth of boys in the imperial family and if the bill is approved, Aiko would become second in line of succession after her father. The public has overwhelmingly backed the idea of a reigning empress.

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