The revision, which permits the adoption of distant male relatives to father future heirs and allows princesses to keep their royal status after marrying commoners, is the first substantive change to the law since 1947.
Male-line adoption, princesses keep royal status
The revisions to the law emphasizes male-line succession and allowing female members of the royal family to maintain their imperial status even after marrying commoners.
On the matter of adoption of distant male relatives to keep the succession to male royalty, although adoption was previously forbidden, the revised law now allows it, provided that the adopted children must be male, aged 15 or older, descendants of the 11 Imperial Family branches that left the family in 1947, and must have no spouse or children.
With the exception of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, only princes and princesses of the Imperial Family are eligible to adopt.
Meanwhile, on the issue of allowing princesses to keep their royal status after marriage to commoners, the revision states that their spouses and children will remain commoners.
Princesses who marry outside of royalty may also choose whether or not to leave the Imperial Family.
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Revision receives backlash
Amid the significant revision to the imperial succession law, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi maintains that the male lineage is “the only source of the emperor’s authority and legitimacy.”
However, the revision received backlash from the public and from experts, warning that preserving the male-only succession rule could threaten the 1,500-year-old hereditary institution.
“It’s a declaration to prevent female monarchs… and to defend the male lineage at all costs,” monarchy expert Hideya Kawanishi stated.
“They cannot say it’s male chauvinism, so they call it tradition.”
Japanese polls and surveys show that the country is in favor of a female emperor, particularly supporting Princess Aiko, the 24-year-old daughter of Emperor Naruhito.
However, due to the male-only succession rule, the next in line for the throne is Prince Hisahito, the emperor’s 19-year-old nephew, and next in line to him is Prince Hitachi, the emperor’s 90-year-old uncle.
If Prince Hisahito does not have a male child, the line of succession will end, thus, the revisions to the law.
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