Japan's Imperial Law Changed, but the Ban on Women Ascending the Throne Continues
Key Points
- The Japanese parliament amended the imperial law but continued to prevent women from becoming emperors.
- The future of the imperial family depends on the 19-year-old Prince Hisahito, and the current rules, with no male heir, put the bloodline at risk.
- With the new regulation, the adoption of unmarried distant male relatives was allowed, and women were permitted to keep their titles after marriage.
- 72 percent of the participants in a poll in May support women ascending to the throne.
By the Numbers
The Japanese parliament has approved a law that does not remove the obstacles facing women for the imperial throne. The future of the imperial family currently depends on the 66-year-old Emperor Naruhito's 19-year-old nephew, Prince Hisahito. The new regulation allows distant male relatives who are unmarried to be adopted into the imperial family, provided they are older than 15.
Additionally, the new law prevents women from losing their royal status when they marry a commoner; this right was already granted to male members. In contrast, there are polls showing that 72 percent of the public supports women ascending to the throne. Since the new law continues to prevent women from ascending the throne, this situation completely eliminates the possibility of Emperor Naruhito's daughter, Princess Aiko, and Hisahito's older sister ascending the throne.
The law was particularly followed by debates within the conservative party of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Former imperial family members and the Japanese media criticized the law change, stating that adopting distant relatives is unrealistic.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Will women be able to ascend the throne with the new imperial law?
- No, according to the law in effect since 1947, women cannot ascend the throne, and the amendment maintains this situation.
- What changes does the new law bring to the imperial family?
- The law allows for the adoption of unmarried male relatives over the age of 15 and prevents women from losing their royal status when marrying a commoner.
- What is the current situation regarding the future of the imperial family?
- The future of the empire depends on the 19-year-old Prince Hisahito, who is currently studying biology at university and is unmarried; if he does not have a child, the male bloodline will end.
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