Crown prince, wife 'distressed' over public concern for Princess Aiko

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TOKYO, March 19 Kyodo -
Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako said Friday they feel distress
for causing public concern about their 8-year-old daughter Princess Aiko, who
stayed away from school after reportedly encountering rough behavior by boys in
her grade.
''We feel distress at causing people to worry about Aiko's absence from
Gakushuin Primary School,'' the couple said in a statement released by Issei
Nomura, grand master of the crown prince's household, at a press conference.
Earlier in the month, Nomura told a regular news conference that Princess Aiko,
a granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and the only child of the crown prince and
crown princess, had missed school due to strong anxiety and stomachaches after
being ''treated harshly'' by boys.
But a school official quickly denied that the princess had been directly
subjected to rowdy behavior by boys and the unusual announcement by Nomura
prompted critics to question the agency's decision to go public about the
situation since it involved other students at the school.
The royal couple, however, did not mention other pupils in their statement.
''The school has been studying measures regarding the issue and we hope to find
a good solution through discussions (with the school),'' the couple said while
expressing deep gratitude for the concern shown by Emperor Akihito and Empress
Michiko.
The emperor and empress had told Nomura when he visited the imperial couple to
explain the situation that consideration must be paid to all the parties
involved, including the princess, the school and the boys, so that no one is
victimized in resolving the situation, Nomura said earlier.
After his March 5 announcement, Princess Aiko attended one class per day for
four days from March 8, being escorted by Crown Princess Masako. She attended
another class Tuesday, her final day in the second grade, again escorted by her
mother but skipped the closing ceremony, according to the Board of the Crown
Prince's Household.
At a separate press conference arranged shortly after Nomura's, Motomasa
Higashisono, a senior director of the Gakushuin School Corporation said to the
best of its knowledge no violent behavior had been directed at Princess Aiko.
Higashisono explained that the princess was startled when a boy dashed out of a
classroom and it must have reminded her of past rowdy behavior by boys.
==Kyodo
2010-03-19 23:07:54