Aiko (愛子), titled Princess Toshi (敬宮 Toshi-no-miya) (born December 1, 2001) is the first child (daughter) of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako Owada of Japan.
Her birth has sparked much debate in Japan on the issue of succession for the Japanese throne. Currently, the Constitution of Japan only allows boys to succeed (male primogeniture), but there has not been a single boy born into the imperial family in almost 40 years. And because Princess Masako is 40 years old and has had a miscarriage in the past, many Japanese doubt whether she will bear any more children.
If the constitution is not amended and the Princess does not produce an heir, and the Crown Prince dies, his younger brother Prince Akishino would succeed him. But there is another catch; Prince Akishino has no sons yet either.
In case the constitution would be changed, Princess Aiko would eventually becomes Japan's first ruling empress in over 300 years. On December 1, 2004 (Aiko's 3rd birthday) government spokesman Hiroyuki Hosoda acknowledged politicians had opened the debate on the succession.
PrincessAiko, The Princess Toshi (敬宮愛子内親王殿下 Toshi no miya Aiko naishinnō denka), born December 1, 2001, is the first child of Their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince Naruhito, heir apparent to the Japanese throne, and Crown Princess Masako.
Princess Toshi (or PrincessAiko, as she is more widely known) began her formal education at the Gakushuin Kindergarten, Tokyo, in April 2006.
The birth of PrincessAiko sparked lively debate in Japan about whether the The Imperial Household Law of 1947 should be changed from that of primogeniture (male-preference) to equal primogeniture, which would allow a woman to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne.
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