Japan stands torn between tradition and the future, as Princess Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito, finds herself at the center of a growing movement to change the country’s patriarchal rules of royal succession. Treated like a pop star by many in Japan, the 24-year-old princess’ rocketing popularity comes at a fraught time for the royal family and Japan’s traditionally patriarchal society.

‘Rising prestige’ and a reopened debate
After having “impressed with her maturity and clear sense of duty” during her first state visit to Laos last month, Aiko’s “huge popularity” domestically will only further raise questions about why she’s barred from taking on a “more prominent royal role going forward,” said Tatler. “Strict male-only succession laws” established in 1947 mean that Prince Hisahito of Akishino, Aiko’s first cousin, is often “touted as the future of the Japanese royal family.”

Aiko’s “rising prestige” has “reopened the debate” about male-only royal succession in Japan’s “patriarchal and traditionalist society,” said El País. Japan “broke with gender prejudices” by electing Sanae Takaichi as its first woman prime minister in October. And there’s “strong public support” for the notion that Aiko, or “any other woman in the future,” could be made royal successor.

Cartoonist Yoshinori Kobayashi has authored comic books that push for a rule change, which “supporters keep sending to parliamentarians” to raise the issue, said The Associated Press. Other advocates have “set up YouTube channels and distributed leaflets.” But while there’s public support for updating the succession rules, “conservative lawmakers,” including Takaichi, “oppose the change.”

‘Kicking the can down the road’
Japan’s royal succession debate has gone on “for decades,” particularly after a 2005 government panel recommended the crown be passed to the oldest child “regardless of their sex,” said the Japan Times. But while that recommendation “appeared to pave the way” for Aiko’s rise, the birth of Hisahito the following year “silenced the debate.” Following the arrival of a young, male heir, Japanese politicians are “kicking the can down the road” on changing the rules, said Kenneth Ruoff, the director of Portland State University’s Center for Japanese Studies, to the Japan Times.

Hisahito is “likely to become emperor one day,” said Al Jazeera. “After him, however, there’s nobody left” unless the succession rules change.

A growing body of evidence suggests that a compound called choline plays an underappreciated role in our health, particularly in our brains. New research suggests low levels of choline in obese people could contribute to brain aging and potentially trigger the kind of neurodegenerative changes that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease. The study — in addition to others linking choline to higher bone density, better memory and improved mental health — has led some scientists to classify choline as a “wonder nutrient” that has been “hugely overlooked,” said BBC Future. 

What’s choline? 
This essential nutrient is not a vitamin or a mineral but an organic compound closely related to the B-vitamin group. Humans need choline for numerous bodily functions, including liver function and the production of acetylcholine, a brain chemical that plays a major role in memory, thinking and learning. 

We produce small amounts of choline in our livers, but to get enough, we need to get it through food. The most common sources are eggs, red meat, chicken, potatoes, yogurt, fish, leafy greens and kidney beans. The average adult needs about 425 milligrams a day (about three eggs’ worth). Pregnant and breastfeeding women need more, as choline “plays a key role” in the healthy development of a baby’s brain, said The Telegraph. 

What did the latest study find? 
Researchers from Arizona State University analyzed key chemical levels and biomarkers in 15 people with obesity and compared them with those of 15 people of a healthy weight. The results, published in the journal Aging and Disease, show that those with obesity had less circulating choline, more biomarkers associated with inflammation, and higher levels of blood proteins, indicating neuron damage. 

The small study didn’t prove cause and effect, but the “big picture” is that obesity, choline and the accelerated brain aging that can lead to dementia “could all be connected,” said ScienceAlert. Low levels of choline could be an “early warning sign” of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, and a “boost” in choline levels could be an effective “preventive measure.” 

What about other studies? 
Low levels of choline have been identified as having a “significant link” with anxiety disorders, according to a meta-analysis published last month in Molecular Psychiatry. University of California researchers looked at data from 25 studies and found that levels of choline were 8% lower in the brains of people with anxiety disorders. That “doesn’t sound like that much,” study co-author Richard Maddock said to New Atlas, but “in the brain, it’s significant.”

An abseiler descends at the opening of an ice cave in New Zealand’s Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. The image, captured by Tori Harp, is among the 25 winners of the 2025 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year competition, published on the Capture the Atlas blog. 
Tori Harp / Northern Lights Photographer of the Year

Stuck on what to get for that special person? Do they always say, “Don’t get me anything,” or do you think they already have everything? Fear not. This gift guide is built for even the hardest person to shop for.

For the creative: Caran d’Ache custom pen
Design a pen that’s as one-of-a-kind as they are. With the customized Caran d’Ache + Me 849 ballpoint pen, you can choose the colors and finishes for the body, clip, button and cartridge and add a custom message with emojis on the side of the pen and packaging. Caran d’Ache is known for using high-quality materials and creating instruments that are lightweight and write smoothly. (starting at $70, Caran d’Ache)

For the warm-weather seeker: Glasshouse Fragrances Mocktail Meditation candle
This calming candle turns a cold, dreary winter day into a summery moment. Glasshouse Fragrances is known for offering intense, “unique and enchanting scents,” said Who What Wear (a sister publication of The Week), and Mocktail Meditation is a dreamy blend of salted cucamelon and starfruit. ($60, Glasshouse Fragrances)

For the puzzler: Sunday Club holiday gift bundle
If their favorite thing to do on the weekend is finish the crossword puzzle, Sunday Club will be right up their alley. There are no headlines in this newspaper, just games, including sudoku, search-and-find, pictogram, word searches and, of course, a regular and mini crossword. The holiday gift bundle comes with Sunday Club’s first three issues, postcards with original art, a pencil and sticker set, and three more issues sent in January, February and March. ($50, Sunday Club)