Crown Prince Naruhito apparently has a benign duodenal polyp, the Imperial Household Agency said Friday.
Endoscopic surgery will be conducted at some point to remove the polyp, which was discovered when the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Masako underwent a periodic medical checkup last Saturday. It was diagnosed as being benign and not large, the agency said.
The agency said there is no need to change his schedule of official duties.
The Crown Prince's grandfather, Emperor Hirohito, died of duodenal cancer in 1988. Current Emperor Akihito, 73, underwent surgery in early 2003 for prostate cancer.