JAPAN'S LITTLE PRINCESS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3133, 4 September 1922, Page 2

JAPAN'S LITTLE PRINCESS.

The Princess Nagako, the future Empress of Japan, whoso betrothal to his Imperial Highness, tho Prince Regent, will be announced early in July—the marriage will take place in the spring—has had a democratic training. Despite tho fact that her father is a Prince of the blood, with a high place in the Imperial Family, and her mother a noblewoman of the mighty Satsuma clan, her early years were passed in a very humble dwelling in Tokio, a 1.0room house sheltering a family of nine persons.

The young Princess in whom the affections of the nation are now being centred was born in 1903, at a time when the clouds of the approaching Russo-Japanese war were darkening every home in Japan. Her father, the Imperial Prince Kuni, then a major in the Japanese army, was busy with his military duties, and before his 'little daughter had celebrated her first birthday he marched away to the war with his regiment. . For nearly two years father and daughter saw nothing of each other, and the sole care of the child devolved upon tho mother, the Princess Chika, daughter of the feudal lord of Satsuma.

In January, 1918, Baron Hatano, one of tho high and solemn functionaries o {'the Imperial Court, journeyed in state from Tokio to the home of Prince Kuni, on a then unsuspected mission, now known to have been the conveyance of the Imperial wish that the Princess Nagako be considered as the future bride of the Imperial heir, then in his 18th year. This, naturally, brought about a great change in the heretofore simple life of the young maiden, and her studies were turned into channels to fit her best for the great position she is to occupy., It also, later, brought her into the swirl of court politics and clan intrigue, those mighty ones who feared the supremacy of the Satsuma influence in the Imperial circle offering objections to the marriage. One #f these was the mighty Prince Yamagata, head of the Chosu clan, and so close to the throne that by many he was credited' with being the real ruler of the land. As their reason for opposing this marriage, it was stated that they had learned that the aunt of the youiig Princess, the sister of Princess Chika, was blind in one eye, therefore the family bloodl was a shade imperfect, but a shade that should prevent such blood becoming that of future Sons of Heaven. Japan was divided over this question, and there was a tremendous struggle under the surface. Yamagata was defeated, and offered to surrender all his powers, titles, and honors, an offer which was refused, leaving this still great man a power until his recent death.

The Imperial bride, while accomplished along purely Japanese lines, with a deep knowledge of Chinese classic*, Japanese music and 1 poetry', and the. highly polished etiquette required <>l one in court circles, i* also accomplished along modern lines. She. is an expert typiste and an amateur photographer.