Crown Princess Kiko turned 59 on Thursday, expressing relief that her son, Prince Hisahito, had completed his coming-of-age ceremony.
"I want him to embrace every responsibility, play his role and walk his own way," she said in a written answer to questions from the press.
On Saturday, the traditional coming-of-age ceremony was held for the first time since the previous one, for Crown Prince Akishino, 59, the father of the 19-year-old prince, was held 40 years ago.
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