Japanese Heir Is Given a Name

TOKYO — Japan's newest prince is named Hisahito. The baby, born on September 6 to Princess Kiko and Prince Akishino, the second son of Emperor Akihito, was named yesterday, the Imperial Household Agency said in a statement. The ceremony took place at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo, where the mother and child will stay for a few more days.

The name is comprised of two Chinese characters: ‘hisa,' meaning ‘distant' or ‘eternal,' and ‘hito,' meaning ‘virtuous.' Males in the imperial family often have ‘hito' in their names. The prince and princess chose the name in the hope that their son will live a long and calm life, the statement said.