It was a birthday of royal proportions. Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito turned 50 today. Here's more on what the Prince is saying.<br /><br />Crown Prince Naruhito, Japan's heir to the Imperial throne, turned 50 today.<br /><br />Japanese, male<br />"On the one hand, I am astonished that I am already 50, on the other, I have so much more to devote to my self-improvement that it feels like it's only just the beginning." <br /><br />The Imperial family's lineage can be traced back to an Emperor believed to have ruled from 660 BC. <br /><br />Japanese, male<br />"The Confucian saying 'to understand your Mandate of Heaven' means to understand your destiny ... In other words, I believe it means knowing how to devote yourself to other people."<br /><br />The Imperial family was an autocratic and even deified entity during World War Two, but Naruhito says the Imperial family has moved with the times.<br /><br />Japanese, male<br />"I would like to look to the past lessons learned in order to mold the future of the Imperial family."<br /><br />Naruhito and his wife, Princess Masako, have one child, Princess Aiko. <br /><br />Princess Masako has suffered a mental breakdown but Naruhito says she is improving.<br /><br />Japanese, male<br />"There has been steady progress towards better health … She is still in need of treatment. And for my part, I intend to take the advice of the doctors and do all I can to support her."<br /><br />Naruhito is first in line to the Chrysanthemum throne and destined to become Japan's 126th Emperor.
