Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi issued a statement Saturday congratulating the Crown Prince and Princess on the birth of their first child, describing it as a delightful event for the Japanese people.
"I offer my heartfelt congratulations, together with the public, over the birth of the Imperial Princess today," he said in the statement.
"The birth of the princess is a symbol of the further prosperity of the Imperial family and it is the delight of the entire public to see this happy day," the statement said. "I pray from the bottom of my heart for the health of the princess and the further prosperity of the Imperial family."