Japan Enforces Male-Only Imperial Succession Law Amid Criticism

TOKYO -- Japan's revised Imperial House Law, which upholds the male-only line of succession, went into effect Saturday, introducing changes expected to significantly impact the nation's 1,500-year-old monarchy.

The new measures permit the adoption of distant male relatives, who were raised as commoners, into the imperial family to father future heirs. Princesses will also be allowed to retain their royal status even after marrying commoners.

However, the law bars Emperor Naruhito's highly popular 24-year-old daughter, Princess Aiko, from becoming the next emperor, and her potential future children will not be granted royal status. Critics argue that these revisions are discriminatory, based on gender and family background, and place undue pressure on younger royal family members to produce male heirs.

Imperial Line of Succession

The current line of succession will proceed to Emperor Naruhito's younger brother, Akishino, followed by his 20-year-old nephew, Prince Hisahito. The emperor's 90-year-old uncle is next in line after Hisahito.

The revised law allows for the adoption of unmarried male descendants, aged 15 or older, from collateral imperial branches, provided they are from a paternal lineage. These candidates would be sought from families that renounced their royal status in 1947 to reduce the postwar financial strain on the monarchy. Currently, four such families exist, but they are distanced by at least 36 generations from Emperor Naruhito, with their common male-line ancestor dating back 600 years.

Retention of Royal Status for Princesses

Previously, princesses were required to relinquish their royal status upon marrying a commoner. The most recent instance was Naruhito's niece, Mako, who married her college boyfriend in 2021 and subsequently moved to the U.S.

Under the new rules, five single princesses, including Princess Aiko and her cousin Princess Kako, 31, can now choose whether to remain part of the imperial family after marriage. This change aims to retain female royals within the monarchy, enabling them to continue their official duties as the imperial lineage faces a decline in numbers due to an aging population.

Criticisms and Public Opinion

Despite these adjustments, experts suggest their impact may be limited, as the law does not grant royal status to the husbands or children of princesses who marry commoners. This raises numerous questions regarding wedding customs, living arrangements after marriage, and the extent to which commoner husbands and their children can participate in official duties. A primary concern highlighted by experts is the potential restriction of civil rights for commoner spouses and their children, similar to those experienced by royals.

Hideya Kawanishi, a professor at Nagoya University specializing in monarchies, stated that preventing husbands and children from holding royal status is a clear attempt to avoid maternal-line succession, predicting a range of inconsistencies. The revisions have faced widespread criticism from mainstream newspapers, with public opinion surveys indicating majority support for female monarchs or maternal-line succession. Yoshinori Kobayashi, a cartoonist and proponent of female succession, has deemed the revised law unconstitutional and plans to file a lawsuit against the government.

Protests have occurred in Tokyo, with hundreds marching to advocate for Princess Aiko's succession rights and call for further revisions to the law. Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Aiko-sama for crown prince!"