1 Princess Diana, who was widely tipped to visit Kobe during her trip to Japan next week, will not after all go to the earthquake shattered city, aides said Thursday night.
2 'We have been advised by the British Embassy in Tokyo that it would be more appropriate for her to express her obvious concern for the victims by doing something in Tokyo,' said a statement by her office at St. James's Palace in London.
3 But The Times of London said Friday that observers have suggested the real reason is concern by Japanese authorities that she might upstage Japan's imperial family.
4 The paper noted the family has been widely criticized for its lackluster show of support for the victims of the quake, which struck Jan. 17, killing 5,104 people. Six more are listed missing.
5 The Times added that Japanese and British diplomats had denied the suggestion. It quoted an unnamed official at the British Embassy in Tokyo as saying Thursday: 'The princess simply decided she did not wish to overburden the local authorities in Kobe.'
6 Diana, 33, who is separated from her husband Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, is scheduled to fly to Japan on Sunday. She will be briefed on the quake by officials of the Japan Red Cross Society and will meet with Emperor Akihito and his wife.
7 It was never officially confirmed that Diana would visit Kobe.
8 But The times said that up until Tuesday night a visit to Kobe by her was still being negotiated by British royal aides and Japanese officials. It said members of the British media preparing to accompany her to Japan had been told unofficially that the Kobe visit would take place.
9 The Times said Diana was originally intended to pay a working visit to Tokyo as a charity ambassador from Feb. 6-9 but expressed interest in seeing relief efforts in Kobe and meeting survivors.
10 The princess is patron of the British Red Cross, which has launched a relief fund to help quake survivors.
11 A visit to Kobe by Diana would have been at her initiative and expense but depended on official Japanese approval, the paper said. But it said that from the time British royal aides first aired the suggestion, Japanese authorities discreetly signaled that the idea was not entirely welcome.
12 It said some spoke of danger from potential after-shocks and an influenza epidemic while others pointed to logistical difficulties in shepherding such a high profile VIP around the ruined city.
13 But it added: 'The real reason, commentators say, may be a combination of factors, in particular the unusually harsh criticism by popular Japanese magazines of the Japanese imperial family's response to the quake.
14 'The Emperor and Empress visited Kobe on Tuesday for the first time since the quake. The hastily arranged trip was announced two days after the Princess of Wales let her own interest be known.'

" We have been advised by the British Embassy in Tokyo that it would be more appropriate for her to express her obvious concern for the victims by doing something in Tokyo , " said a statement by her office at St . James ' s Palace in London .
something
What is Princess Diana planning on doing instead?