Now that Princess Kiko has given birth to a boy, several key politicians said Wednesday they saw no immediate need to discuss a controversial legal revision to allow women to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne.</PARAGRAPH> <PHOTO> <TABLE WIDTH='400' ALIGN='RIGHT' BORDER='0'> <TR> <TD><IMG ALT='News photo' BORDER='0' SRC='../images/photos2006/nn20060907a2a.jpg' WIDTH='400' HEIGHT='283'/></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><FONT SIZE='1'><B> </B></FONT></TD> </TR> <TABLE> </PHOTO> <PARAGRAPH>An advisory panel to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi recommended in its final report in November that the Imperial House Law be revised to allow reigning empresses because no males had been born into the Imperial family for nearly 41 years, jeopardizing the centuries-old Imperial line.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the front-runner to become the next prime minister, said the government should not rush to change the succession rule.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'I think cautious and calm discussion should be promoted because –

a stable Imperial succession is an issue of extremely grave importance," he said.

Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition party, said it is now a time for celebration, not debate.

"I only pray that Princess Kiko will steadily recover and the prince will grow up healthy," Hatoyama said.

Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone said the issue of revising the law has "disappeared" for now, adding that the birth of a boy means there is no need to revise the Imperial House Law for the time being.