TOKYO: Japan’s Crown Princess Masako on Sunday pledged to do her best despite feeling ‘insecure’ about becoming empress in mere months, in a candid statement released on her 55th birthday.

Emperor Akihito will step down on April 30, 2019 — the first abdication in the Japanese imperial family in more than two centuries.

His eldest son and Masako’s husband Naru­hito will ascend to the throne the next day.

“Even though I feel insecure about how helpful I will be when I think about the days ahead... I want to devote myself to the happiness of the people so I will make an effort to that end,” said the crown princess.

The Harvard- and Oxford-educated Masako left a promising career as a diplomat to marry into the imperial family in 1993.

She gave birth to Princess Aiko in 2001 but continued to face pressure to produce a son as only male heirs can take the throne under Japanese law.

The pressure eased in 2006, however, when her sister-in-law gave birth to Prince Hisahito, now 12.

She has made few public appearance since 2003 and has struggled with adjustment disorder.

In her birthday statement, Masako rev­ea­led she was recuperating from a stress-indu­ced illness ahead of the imperial succession.

“I am delighted at the fact that I can perform more duties than before as I have tried to improve my physical condition,” she said.

But her doctors warned in a separate statement that it is important for the crown princess to continue treatment as she remains vulnerable to fatigue, especially after a large ceremony or successive duties.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2018