Britain's Prince Charles and Princess Diana, hunted relentlessly by the tabloids, must be wishing they were Japanese.

The Japan Magazine Publishers' Association announced Friday that it was extending a ban on reports about Crown Prince Naruhito's search for a bride for three months - at the request of the Imperial Household Agency.This in effect silences the press on any potential royal romances. In May, the Japan Newspaper Publishers' and Editors' Association agreed to continue a similar ban for three months.

The royal request is aimed at protecting the privacy of women seen as prospective brides for the 32-year-old prince, heir to the throne. An imperial spokesman said that the request was unusual.

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