For this unusual shift in the world’s oldest monarchy, our Tokyo bureau chief took a deeper look at the royal family, which has faced near extinction, intrigue, drama and disappointments. Part 1: After World War II, when Akihito was a 12-year-old crown prince, international pressure was mounting to prosecute Japan’s royal family, and the fate of the monarchy hung in the balance. His mission: to atone for Japan’s wartime sins. Part 3: A decade later, the future of the royal family was again at stake, this time hinging on Naruhito’s finding a wife — and fathering a son. But all the country seemed to care about was whether she could give birth to a son.

Source: International New York Times April 30, 2019 20:04 UTC