I have suffered from clinical depression for almost 40 years and it has clouded almost every aspect of my life and almost all of my personal relationships. How many doctors, how many different medications, how many different types of therapies....I have long since lost track.

I'm not sure depression can be explained, but it would help if the condition had a better name. It is much more than what the public understands as "depression."

I don't know much about Princess Masako, but I pity her. At least I have not had to suffer on the world stage.

Ellis, GA, USA

Carol Ellis, Bartow, GA

“A Harvard-educated, former diplomat tortured by Japan’s old-fashioned bureaucracy and lack of understanding about mental disorder”. Westerners seem really love this type of sensational stereotyped stories. Despite foreign media’s misunderstanding, we are NOT AT ALL blaming her of not producing an heir. Also, we are NOT blaming her of going out for dinner. We are asking her to explain her behavior full of contradictions BY HERSELF, not by her mysterious “medical team” hidden in a veil. As there is a tacit understanding that it’s taboo to criticize Imperial family, we cannot say this loud in public, but to the truth, the general public is skeptical about her “illness” now. Besides, it’s getting more difficult to respect her as Crown Princess. Why? First, from the moment she got married, she has been refusing to take part in religious ceremonies, one of the most important duties as a princess. Secondly, her comments are lack of consideration of the feelings of the socially vulnerable. Thirdly, she does not respect Japanese culture at all, and she respects Western ones only. Lastly, she is always complaining about something or blaming somebody for her unhappy situation. Especially, she complained several times about her being not allowed to go abroad as many times as she wish. Maybe, she was dreaming of a celebrity’s life full with luxurious trips to Europe as a Jet-setter like Paris Hilton. How can we respect such a princess who is always denying our culture?

Yusuke, Osaka, Japan

OK. Let me clear one thing.
She was NEVER diagnosed as "clinical depression "by real doctors.

Then, she denied seeing imperial hospital doctors and now her sister's friend "health center doctor" is her only doctor. He has not announced that she is depressed either.
We are not angry with her, just very disappointed with her because she - "supposed to be a very well educated and talented woman" turns out to be a spoiled "banana" who adores only Western cultures and never respect her own ones. She does not want to work as a representative of the Red Cross, which all crown princesses have devoted to work. She also refused to take part in any religious traditions in the imperial family. The imperial family in Japan is the oldest family and should be our religious top person, which she should have known before the marriage.
We are disappointed with her because she keeps ignoring the precious tradition that we have respected.

PG, Tokyo, Japan

Apart from the fact that her educational record and initial professional career has apparently been built under the influence of her father, who was the top official of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (with a rather skewed employment system) and had a professor/fellowship seat at Harvard and Oxford, it is a real pity that "that elite lady of Japan" didn't have the basic and common knowledge of the Royal Household's primary duty- to keep ceremonial functions, not to take any politial or diplomatic functions since the end of WWII.

Brianna, Tokyo, Japan

It is ok to dine out for her "treatment" or not to attend public duties due to her "illness", although her illness has never been officially diagnosed because she does not allow official medical team to see her but only her private doctor who has never made official comment to the public.
However, I do wonder:
why she, as a member of the Royal family, could go out for fun on the war-end anniversary .
why she could go out for dinner at a posh restaurant on the same day she cancelled a ceremony held by the emperor - she could stay home if she was too unwell to attend the ceremony.
why she could drop at a pub by changing the schedule during her official trip, then couldn’t attend scheduled ceremony on the following day saying she was too tired - she could rest in the hotel instead of impulsively staying at the pub if she realised "tired".
All of those examples show she is lacking of self-awareness as a member of Royal family and of her duties, which is NOT acceptable at all.

Kyoko, Sydney,

Those who criticize Princess Masako are hypocritical and enjoy the sage in which a modern female achiever was defeated by the constraint of an outdated system. They feel better about their own difficulties or less privileged status by seeing how miserable she is/was. That's why they don't "allow" her to enjoy herself!

Y.C. , Taipei , Taiwan

Naive and ignorant point of view

Why do Westerners, including this writer, want to regard everything about Japan old fashioned? (because it's easy.)
Japanese people never accused Princess Masako of not giving birth to a boy!! (God, how could you twist it around like that.)
People are confused because she refuse to do official duties but she suddenly becomes happy when she goes abroad (mainly Europe)
She's depressed because her life as a Princess was not something she'd expected. She wanted something flashy and married a prince who was deeply in love with her. Instead, she got a life of patience and self sacrifice. I mean, she could lead the life she wanted if she DIDN'T get married to a prince. It was her choice. Well, in Japan, a princess is expected to act like a princess, not a common woman. Her illness is different from that of Mr Abe, former Prime Minister, who was crushed from too much responsibility. Pri Masako was crushed from too much "Can't do this and that."

Sara, Kyoto, Japan

It seems lots of Westeners believe Masako is a poor victim of the old-fashioned custom just because she is Harvard-educated and Japan is too old-fashioned.
Everytime I read this kind of comment from Westerners, I am reallyl disappointed. It's too superficial. The point is not her education, but her strange behavior and her mysterious illness. She has been "ill" for years and skip official duties, but her private life is very energetic. Lots of expensive shopping, lavish dinners, Disney Land, trip to Netherland, skiing, horse riding, etc on taxpayer's money. Whey does she go shopping or dinner or driving on the same day she skipped the official duties usign her illness as excuse evertime? Why does she and her husband accuse other people including japanese citizens as the cause of her illness? Why does she always claim she wants to officially visit foreign countries when she says NO to visiting domestic nursing homes? If this is the Harvard style, I never understand Harvard.

Japanese citizen, london, England