The birth of a baby girl to the Crown Prince and Princess on Saturday, the first in the couple's 8 1/2-year marriage, is likely to refuel debate within political circles over whether the Imperial House Law should be revised to allow the nation to have a reigning empress.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi warned against undue haste Saturday evening: "The matter should be discussed carefully. It is still too early to make a decision."
Immediately after the pregnancy of the 37-year-old Crown Princess was announced in May, Koizumi said, "I will wait and see the discussions going on within (the Liberal Democratic Party) over the Imperial House Law." Some speculated that this meant he would not oppose a review of the 1948 law.