JAPAN: Jewellery maker marks birth of Japan's Prince Hisahito with million dollar rocking horse

What would be the perfect gift fit for a prince? One Japanese jewellery shop believes nothing better than a 150 million yen (1.3 million U.S. dollar) solid gold rocking horse can suffice for the birth of Japan's first male prince in 41 years. "When we heard of Princess Kiko's pregnancy, it was a very felicitous occasion and wanted to offer something to match the event (of the baby's birth)," said Masakazu Tanaka, managing director of Tanaka Kikinzoku Jewellery at the Ginza Tanaka shop where the 30 kilo (66 pound) gold toy was on display. Japanese Princess Kiko, wife of the second son of the current Emperor Akihito, gave birth on September 6 to Prince Hisahito bringing relief and joy to a country that had been, until then, tackling an imperial succession crisis. The baby, third in line to the throne after his uncle Crown Prince Naruhito and his father Prince Akishino, scuttled, for the time being, plans to change the law to allow women to accede to the Chrysanthemum throne, which is currently limited to males. Akishino and his wife, Princess Kiko, who turned 40 earlier this month, have two older daughters, Princess Mako and Princess Kako. Akishino's elder brother Prince Naruhito has one daughter, Princess Aiko. There is however no official word from the Imperial palace as to whether they want the rocking horse or not. The current Imperial family tends to shun ostentatious displays of wealth. So now it is royally on sale in Tokyo on a very democratic first-come-first-serve basis.

ITN Source | September 23, 2006

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