After 2,600 years, still no room for a female emperor in Japan

©Robert Katzki via Unsplash

The Japanese parliament has approved a reform of the imperial line of succession, but a female emperor remains excluded. In doing so, Tokyo has opted for a limited modernization of the centuries-old succession system, without altering the male line that has formed the basis of the Chrysanthemum Throne for generations.

The bill was passed by a large majority in parliament on Friday. The amendment aims to strengthen the ever-shrinking imperial family by allowing distant male relatives over the age of 15 to rejoin the family through adoption, provided they are unmarried. In addition, female members will be allowed to retain their royal status when they marry a commoner, a provision that has long applied to men.

However, the reform does not alter the core of the Imperial House Law, which has stipulated since 1947 that only men can inherit the throne through the male line. As a result, Princess Aiko, the daughter of Emperor Naruhito, and Prince Hisahito’s older sisters remain excluded from the line of succession. For the time being, the line of succession remains limited. Naruhito, 66, is currently the emperor. His younger brother, Crown Prince Akishino, is first in line, followed by Akishino’s 19-year-old son, Hisahito. Without further legislative changes, the male line risks dying out in the long term if Hisahito does not have a son.

Endless negotiations

The legislation was passed after lengthy negotiations within the conservative governing coalition led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. She is, after all, strongly opposed to female succession to the throne. But that position clashes with public opinion. Polls by, among others, Mainichi Shimbun and Kyodo News show that a large majority of Japanese people are open to the idea of a female emperor. Japan has the world’s oldest unbroken hereditary monarchy, with a history dating back more than 2,600 years. The new law is intended to safeguard that continuity, but the debate over a female heir to the throne continues unabated.

©Robert Katzki via Unsplash - illustrative image