Japan's Princess Mako weds, then goes on TV to defend the marriage

Tokyo — In what was called the most anticipated live TV appearance of the year, 30-year-old Princess Mako defended her controversial decision to marry a man some here branded unworthy of her status. Mako's decision had drawn widespread sympathy, as well as outrage from a small but noisy band of hardcore traditionalists. 

Flanked by her brand new husband during a ten-minute afternoon address broadcast on all major networks from a Tokyo hotel, the former princess, now officially Mako Komuro, called husband Kei Komuro "irreplaceable."

Still suffering from stress-related illness amid the firestorm of criticism of the marriage, she said it was "a necessary choice."