Japan Eases Royal Succession Rules, But Female Emperors Still Barred
The Japanese parliament has approved a bill to relax imperial succession rules, amid concerns over the shrinking size of the imperial family. The bill, passed by the upper house on Friday, allows the imperial family to adopt distant male relatives over the age of 15 and permits women to retain their royal status after marrying outside the family.
However, the legislation does not change the law barring women from ascending the throne, despite widespread public support for a female emperor. This means Princess Aiko, the only child of the current Emperor Naruhito, remains ineligible to succeed the throne.
The bill cleared the lower house last week and will now undergo final legal procedures before taking effect.
Japan has the world's oldest continuous hereditary monarchy, with a lineage believed to span more than 2,600 years. Currently, first in line to the throne is 60-year-old Crown Prince Fumihito, the emperor's younger brother. Second in line is Fumihito's son, 19-year-old Prince Hisahito. Third in line, and the last eligible candidate for the throne, is the emperor's 90-year-old uncle.
Without any amendments to the law, the line of succession would end if Prince Hisahito does not have a male child. Under the new bill, male descendants of 11 former imperial branches—removed after the Second World War—could be adopted back into the family, potentially broadening the pool of eligible heirs.
