Oh,come on, Barbara! Emperor CANNOT rule a country. It's forbidden by the Constitution. He has been merely a symbol of the country since the end of WWII, and he has no political power. If you don't know anything about Japan or what the emperor is, I think it's not a good idea to write an irresponsible remark. It's not your country and it's not your religion.

Emperor is the top of Shinto religion, not a king, not a president. Rather, Emperor is something more like Pope in western countries. What you are saying is "you japanese people are so outdated! You don't allow a girl to be Pope". It's ok if it's your religion to say so. But Shinto is OUR religion. Not yours. Don't you respect other religions at all??

Saki, Kyoto, England

As a Japanese national, I am saddened by the smear campaign by Japanese media against the Crown Princess in grave distress. It is apparent that her “lavish” outings are necessary steps for her toward her full recovery. And the public in general support her, waiting patiently for her to move on to a better place. But the media and some overzealous Masako-phobes are having a field day whipping up a frenzy of speculation about her private life. What do they want from the poor woman? Keep her under house-arrest, occasional dining out with her family and friends at MacDonald? Get a divorce, leave the country for good? Or drag her out of her “lazy” bed, deprive her of access to a proper treatment, coerce her to perform pubic duties, which is obviously too daunting a task for her to complete at this point. Let’s not forget that she is still in the process of recorvery and needs support and sympathy. I really wish that the media would back off and let her get what she deserves.

Sachi, Houston, U.S.A.

Hey, guys? A comment from the U.S.A. You know, this is cruel. This poor girl can't do anything right. No matter what she does, whatever step she puts forward, she's wrong.

This young lady is a bright and talented girl. She gave up a career as a trained diplomat to marry into a royal family that obviously drove her bananas because they have some outdated and stupid notion that only MEN can rule a country. I thought at one time that Japan was one of the most progressive countries in the world.

But you folks are STILL living in the dark ages. Give this poor woman a break, will you? She's been SICK, for God's sake. So what if she has some fun? LET her! She sure as hell ain't havin' much fun being YOUR crown princess.

And while you are at it, wake up, smell the coffee, and allow her daughter to become the next empress and Masako to be who she really WANTS to be.

Barbara Hartman, Nutley, N.J., U.S.A.

This is wrong, Prince Naruhito had wanted to marry Masako very much.
Naruhito & Msako had met sometimes before they have married. There are at a dinner party of Queen Elena, and at the one of the city of Europe(Colmar) and so on.
By the way, what is the problem about Masako?
That is her behavior as the Imperial family, she do not pray for thousands of Gods of Japanes, that is most impotant ceremony for Royal famiries.
Moreover, she skip many national event, ceremony, to visit a public institution, and so on. In spite of her cost ofl iving depend on the tax we pay.
Who can have respect for her?

Rey, Tokyo, Japan

If they would have no love because of the political marriage,
they should think about their divorce.
I wish she will be divorced and devote herself to treatment and find her true happiness.
Crown prince and princess can be divorced by the Imperial House Act.

No one will oppose her divorce, except for Crown prince Naruhito.

Eko, Saitama, Japan

Prince Naruhito wanted to got married her very much. when she worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . and her father was a diplomat. so, she couldn't deny Prince offer. poor Masako. she can't get freedom forever.

Maco, Yokohama, Japan

As you know, the Japanese Royal Family is all covered with our tax money.
It's simply waste our tax money if she can't work as a Princess and keep doing just for her private stuff.
What's the reason we support her?
She goes to the expensive restaurants with her friends or her parents and sisters. Who is paying this?
How do you feel if there is someone like Masako around you who is not working but eat out with your tax money?
She should be recalled!

Chie, Tokyo, Japan

I’m sorry. I want to correct the last time comment. “a collateral line” is not correct. “the male line” is correct.

momo, Tokyo, Japan

To many Japanese eyes, she is becoming to look like a lazy, snooty person, who would consider herself as smart and special that deserves a luxury life and can’t stand visiting local facilities and ceremonies but foreign countries, particularly Europe for fun. Give me a break.

Josh, Boston, US

She is criticized not just because her having high life, but for years, she has refused to work most of the official duties, due to unspecified illness, not even meeting and saying "thank you" to the volunteers who clean up the royal palace where they live. She refused to visit a nursing home because she does not like to get too close to people. She feel stressed when people in Japan look at her in public, according to officials. Every time she goes out for her pleasures, she accompanies many body guards around her, which costs lots of our tax money, while she performs no work. I have never seen somebody who was grown up in foreign country became so stressed living in other county that she could not function in public, and has to have high and rich private life in order to function. In fact, she was not 100% grown up abroad; she spent many years in Japan when she was young. Pricncess Kiko was grown up in US and Europe much longer than Masako, but she is very well adjusted.(continued

Karen, New York, US

It is obvious that she manipulated to appear in the balcony with other royal families on the New Years day. She appeared for the first three times only and skipped the rest of the four appearances, because only the morning cessions are to be photographed and shown on TV. As a result, what we saw on the media was a seemingly perfect picture of her standing and waving her hand to the people which looked like she was doing her job, but in fact she left right after the morning cessions ended and had New Year’s luncheon with her own family including her daughter Aiko, while all other royal family members stayed all day to attend various new years ceremonies. Does Princess Masako think Japanese people are stupid to believe for years what she and her personal doctor created the name of her illness, “Adjustment disorder”.
And therefore allow such person “NO WORK but MEAL” This is ridiculous and has to stop right away.

Karen, New York, US

The most important royal duty of crown princess of Japan is to bear a male heir and succeed the tradition. The former is not indispensable because the succession of the IH is not a direct line but a collateral line. So any princess can bear a male heir and it is no problem. There were many crown princesses who did not bear male heiress. I can't understand why a Western think it is indispensable for the crown princess to bear a male heir. The latter is indispensable but Masako has not done. She has refused the rituals of Shinto, the religion of the IH. The chief problem is that she can't suceed the tradition.

momo, Tokyo, Japan

Another stereotyped article.
It looks like Leo Lewes just wants to make Japan (the Japanese including Imperial Family) look a grotesque anochronism.
That said, we (the Japanese) are aware that our society, culture, way of thinking are all anachronistic in a sense. We love and enjoy everything anachronistic.
This year we celebrate 1000th anniversary of The Tales of Genji the setting of which is Imperial Family and the aristocracy -- terribly anachronistic!
The most important role of Imperial Family is making Shinto rituals which is the core of our culture. Rituals are rituals and nothing to do with anything visible/tangible.
They might be thought nonsense or ridiculous, if you want to see them so.
Imperial Family is something like jurists' wigs in UK. You can get rid of them if you really want to, but you still retain them because you just don't see any specific reason to discard them hurriedly.

banana, tokyo, japan

<<The general public remains on Masako's side>> -- No. Truth is: the general public have never been on her side. She has never been popular among the general public. Why? She lacks something -- something which is necessary to be loved and respected as Princess.
When Crown Prince's engagement with Ms Masako Owada was announced, most of the Japanese sighed "Oh, what a mismatch....." Until the announcement, she had rejected marriage proposals many times, she even had tried to scatter paparazzis saying in an angry tone "I will NEVER NEVER NEVER marry Crown Prince!" She looked high-handed and even vulgar.
An idea to become a star player of the world diplomacy with the title "Princess" might have suddenly trapped her and made her accept the proposal -- the beginning of the tragedy. What Japanese Princess is required to do is to become a loyal conveyor of the tradition and not to become a super star.

banana, tokyo, japan

From the very beginning of her marriage, I had the impression that Masako was not interested in philanthropy nor domestic public functions because she looked so bored to death during these duties. Some people say it's not Masako's fault to look bored or fall into sleep during ceremonies because she deserves more complicated, diplomatic jobs like visiting foreign countries. Masako herself is eager to visit foreign countries. It's natural for her as a former diplomat to want to take a role in further strengthening good friendly relationship with other countries. However, I think she is putting the cart before the horse. As long as she thinks it’s boring to visit philanthropy facilities, and she cannot even hide her reluctance to visit these facilities, I think it would be hard for her to work as she wish. Besides, I wonder how she can manage to work for international relationship if she cannot get along with people surrounding her, including her parents in law and the public general.

Akiko, Osaka, Japan

I think that hopes were high for her to be a Lady Di to breathe some cosmopolitan views. The Imperial Household Agency has been anything but that. Look at her clothes, for crying out loud. They say mid-fifties bureaucrat all over.

Masako didn't fail to produce an heir. She just happens to be female.

I spent 10 years in Japan and love the place and the people, but I've never been able to appreciate the stilted Imperial Household Agency and the family whose lives it controls. It certainly isn't the other way around.

Jon Warren, SF, CA, USA

Marrying a prince was not necessarily her own free choice. Even at the time of the wedding there were rumours that her father's career was threatened if Masako refused to marry Naruhito. I can't imagine how they're ever going to find a wife for Hisahito.

Maria, Boston, USA

I am very sorry to hear your long suffering depression. Ellis.
However, Princess Masako is not suffering clinical depression.
She was never diagnosed as "clinical depression" and this has been denied officially again and again over the year.
I wish that one of the doctor who has world authority on psychiatry in western countries come to examine and treat Princess Masako. We are not particularly cold hearted, small minded, cruel old fashioned nation as some might think. We will understand and willing to support her if there is proper explanation about her condition. It is very difficult where the line between bashing and reporting the truth. Having said that , most of the Japanese Media hasn't criticise Princess rarely. If there is someone who can read Japanese, please try it. You will be surprise how sympathetic to Princess.
They are almost sounds like "Japan and nation have to change the law and culture even tradition for Harvard graduated poor princess to cure her illness.

Mai Mai, London, UK

His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress in Japan always express that the Imperial House hopes to be the prayer for people and show their sincere sympathy to those suffered from disasters or deseases. And their private lives are so simple and restrained compared to those of the Western Royal Families. Therefore we, Japanese, respect them as a symbol of the nation. The present Crown Prince and Princess are opposite to their parents. Many people have begun to feel from recent mas media that their concerns are not people but their pleasures. We unfortunately have unrespectable couple as the Crown Prince and Princess at present, but the situation has to be reformed.

Japanese woman, Leeds, England

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