Imperial daughter Aiko enters kindergarten 

(11 Apr 2006) SHOTLIST
POOL
Tokyo, 11 April 2006
1. Crown Princess Masako, Princess Aiko and Crown Prince Naruhito (left to right)
2. Three walking into the entrance of the kindergarten and greeting teacher
3. Wide shot of the kindergarten
JAPANESE PRINCESS STARTS KINDERGARTEN
Princess Aiko, the four-year-old daughter of Japan''s crown prince and princess entered Gakushuin Kindergarten kindergarten in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The princess, the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, attended the entrance ceremony that lasted for about 30 minutes along with her parents and about 50 other children.
The children were divided into two groups and entered their own classrooms after the ceremony and Aiko met her teacher as well as her classmates there, the Imperial Household Agency said.
Aiko attended a girl''s doll festival in March at the kindergarten to get used to the environment prior to the entrance.
The young princess had been the centre of public attention as she looked set to become Japan''s first female monarch since the 18th century as a means for the imperial family to avoid a possible succession crisis.
No male heir has been born to the imperial family since 1965 and the 1947 Imperial House Law states that only male members of the imperial family who have emperors on their father''s side can reign.
However, the government postponed submitting a bill to revise the law to allow females to take the throne after learning in February that Princess Kiko, the wife of Emperor Akihito''s second son, Prince Akishino, was pregnant.
Keyword-royalty
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...