Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader sees, amidst the reporting on Steve Irwin’s death, that there is some good news out of Japan. There is, finally, a male heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne. According to the news wires, Princess Kiko delivered via Ceasarian, a baby boy today. Princess Kiko is the wife of Prince Akishino, who is the second son of Emperor Akihito. The baby is yet unnamed, but already has a cool sword.

This is good news for the family; and it is good news for the government of Japan. It now appears as though the difficult debate about changing succession laws can be avoided.

Your Maximum Leader really doesn’t have a dog in the whole agnatic versus cognatic succession debate. He can understand the long-standing agnatic tradition in Japan. But going cognatic seems to be more in step with modern times.

As for your Maximum Leader’s heirs… Both of his daughters (the two eldest) are perfectly suitable heirs… It is too soon to tell how the Wee Villain will turn out. He has the requisite charm to be a Maximum Leader. We’ll see if he gets the villainous side dwn.

Carry on.