JAPAN: The Empress’s Girdle

Harsh realists when it comes to dealing with China and the rest of the world, the Japanese have retained all their ancient mysticism as far as the Emperor and his family are concerned. Last week the owl-eyed Son of Heaven himself watched an oft-repeated ceremony in the Imperial household, the donning of the sacred maternity girdle to mark the ninth month of the Empress’ pregnancy.

Chief of the Imperial General Staff Prince Kotohito Kanin, who had been designated “Honorable Girdle Parent” (equivalent of godfather), presented the girdle, a silk belt twelve feet long. Surrounded by the Empress and her court ladies, elaborately dressed in ancient, figured costumes, the Emperor saw Grand Master of Rituals of the Imperial Household Prince Kimitern Sanjo place the belt before the Imperial shrine and inform the Imperial ancestors of the coming event. Then, with the assistance of her ladies, it was wrapped around the plump little Empress. The child, seventh conceived by the Empress, is expected in mid-February.

Inasmuch as Japan’s Imperial succession passes only to males, prolific Empress Nagako had the Japanese jittery for years as, four times in a row, she gave birth to girls. Five years ago she relieved their fears, gave birth to Crown Prince Akihito and two years later produced another boy-child.