Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, is often portrayed in the media as an unsmiling young girl who shows little emotion. But actually, she is just like any child of her age--often uncertain about how to react in front of a large group of strangers. That is probably how the 12-year-old views the throng of reporters and photographers who cover the imperial family.
A recent example of the many emotions that Aiko is capable of displaying came on Oct. 12 during a school athletic meet at Gakushuin Primary School, located in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward. [...]
Because of her height and slender legs, Aiko was not difficult to pick out of the crowd of 120 sixth-graders.
The first form created was the "cactus," in which one student stands on the knees of another while being supported by the student below. Aiko had a serious expression as she put strength into her arms to hold up her partner. [...]
The last form for the sixth-graders was creating a large pyramid. The students had practiced that form since the first term. Aiko was not only at the bottom layer of the seven-layered pyramid, she was also dead center of the structure. Aiko was on her hands and knees on the ground as her classmates created the pyramid on top of her. The pyramid was completed when the last student climbed to the top and stood up with both hands raised. [...]
In April, a concert was staged at an auditorium in Tokyo's Mejiro district. Current and past students of the various Gakushuin schools took part. Aiko played the cello in the primary school orchestra. Her father, Naruhito, played the viola in the orchestra made up of Gakushuin alumni. The first joint music performance by father and daughter was widely reported in the media. Before the start of the performance, Aiko talked with friends. They laughed while pointing at something and Aiko seemed to scowl in a joking manner. However, when it came time for photographers to take photos, the smile vanished from Aiko's face. [...]
In September 2004, the Imperial Household Agency released a rare video of Aiko taken by Naruhito. It is highly unusual for imperial family members to release photos or videos of themselves in private, relaxing moments. Moreover, the video contained snippets of conversation and background noise that are not normally included in the images released every year to mark her birthday.
Imperial Household Agency officials said the video was released in response to speculative reports that had appeared in weekly magazines and the foreign media concerning Aiko's development. [There had been speculations about the little girl´s alleged "autism".] Masako was deeply distressed by the coverage. One former aide to the crown prince's household reflected back on that time, saying, "I believe that represented a 'scream' on the part of the couple wanting to show the true side of Aiko."
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