As the birth of the Crown Princess's baby approaches, preparations for its delivery as well as ceremonies following the birth were nearly complete as of Saturday, Imperial Household Agency sources said.
All medical preparations have been made for the birth, the agency said. Medical staff have been on duty around the clock since Tuesday at Togu Palace, the residence of the Crown Prince, 41, and the Crown Princess.
"We have done everything we could think of" to prepare for the 37-year-old Crown Princess giving birth, said Kiyoshi Furukawa, the grand master of the Crown Prince's Household, at a news conference Thursday.