Standing in drizzle under a red umbrella near the forested entrance of one of Tokyo’s most famous shrines, Junko Shinohara, 55, an office worker, muses about her country’s soon-to-be empress.
"Ah yes, Masako-san. She is very clever but has had a difficult time. It’s been hard for her to shine as she is kept inside a box. But I hope this will change," she says under the torii gates of the Meiji Shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of former Japanese royalty.
Masako Owada, the crown princess known endearingly as Masako-san, is about to assume one of the oldest titles in the world – and the pressure is already building on her and her country.
Next Wednesday, just hours after Emperor Akihito takes…
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