Ponders how the name given to Princess Aiko will influence the way Japanese name their girls. Gives an overview of how Japanese names have changed over the years.

Discusses the meanings behind the royal baby's name. Find out about royal naming rituals steeped in centuries-old tradition, and read the prime minister's reaction.

Essay describes Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako's burden of producing a male heir to Japan's centuries-old dynasty.

Article by Gale Eisenstodt details the current Japanese monarchy's efforts to define its role in the country's government.

Article discusses whether the birth of new baby to Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako will help revive the ailing Japanese economy.

Discussion forum offers a variety of opinions on whether Japan should consider changing its constitution to allow for a female emperor.

Presents a translation of the Imperial oath and items from the constitution of Japan during the Meiji period.

Find out about the emperor and his family, and the history of the dynasty. Includes the text of the 1946 Japanese constitution.

Profiles the Japanese shrine celebrated as the ancestral home of the country's royal family. Describes the ritual construction of the shrines.

Guide to Japanese history provides news about their current royal family, plus some bibliographic references and related links.

Numbered list offers the names and the years of reign of emperors and empresses that ruled Japan from 660 BC to 1912 AD.