Japan's parliament has approved changes to the Imperial House Law aimed at addressing the shrinking size of the imperial family while preserving the country's centuries-old male-only succession system.
The changes allow princesses to retain their royal status after marriage and permit the adoption of distant paternal-line royal relatives, but do not allow women to inherit the throne.
Lawmakers approved the revisions on Friday after years of debate over the future of the imperial family, whose declining membership has raised concerns about the monarchy's long-term sustainability. Japan's Constitution defines the emperor as "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people", making the future of the imperial family a sensitive constitutional issue.
The legislation retains the rule that only men from the paternal imperial line can become emperor, despite opinion polls showing strong public support for allowing female succession.
"It’s a declaration to prevent female monarchs ... and to defend the male-lineage at all costs," Hideya Kawanishi, a monarchy expert at Nagoya University, said.
Under the revised law, princesses who marry commoners will be allowed to retain their royal status, reversing a rule that has steadily reduced the number of working royals.
The legislation also permits the adoption of distant male relatives from the paternal imperial line in an effort to secure future heirs.
However, the reforms do not change Japan's succession rules, meaning Emperor Naruhito's daughter, Princess Aiko, remains ineligible to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne because she is a woman. Under the Imperial House Law of 1947, only males in the paternal line are eligible to inherit the throne.
The current line of succession remains Crown Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito and Prince Hitachi.
Japan's imperial family now has fewer than 20 members, with only a small number of male heirs remaining.
Supporters of the reforms argue that preserving the paternal bloodline is essential to maintaining the legitimacy of the world's oldest hereditary monarchy.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and other conservative lawmakers have maintained that the uninterrupted male lineage remains "the only source of the emperor's authority and legitimacy".
Critics argue the measures fail to address the monarchy's long-term demographic challenges and instead reinforce a patriarchal system.
Historians note that Japan has had eight reigning empresses throughout its history, although none established a hereditary female line.
Public opinion polls have consistently shown broad support for allowing women to inherit the throne, but successive governments have declined to amend the succession law.
The debate has become increasingly urgent as Japan faces an ageing population and a shrinking imperial household, raising questions about the institution's long-term stability.
Saudi Arabia’s air defences have intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone over the Riyadh region, according to the Saudi-led coalition fight...
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Chât...
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said....
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Châtelet-Les Halles areas from 11pm Saturday until 6am Sunday (1 November).
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education and living costs. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, as a hostile group, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment