Princess Kiko, 34 weeks pregnant with a possible future heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne, entered Aiiku Hospital in Minato Ward, Tokyo, on Wednesday, as she waits for the birth of her third child, expected early next month.
The 39-year-old princess, wife of Prince Akishino, Emperor Akihito's second son, has been diagnosed with partial placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta forms low in the uterus and partially covers the cervix.
Her hospitalization is aimed at ensuring a safe delivery, which will be performed by Caesarean section, the Imperial Household Agency said.