Japan changes imperial succession rules but keeps male-only throne

Japan's parliament changed the imperial succession law on Friday but kept rules that prevent women from becoming emperor, despite polls cited in the report showing broad public support for female succession.

The future of the imperial family currently depends on Prince Hisahito, the 19-year-old nephew of Emperor Naruhito. Under the rules as they stand, if Hisahito does not have a son, he will have no heir and the bloodline will end.

Japan has had eight female emperors in its imperial history. However, an 1889 imperial house law limited succession to men through the paternal line, and that rule was carried into the current Imperial Household Law in 1947. The rule excludes Princess Aiko, the 24-year-old daughter of Emperor Naruhito, and other royal women from becoming emperor.

The bill passed by the upper house allows the adoption of single male distant relatives aged over 15 back into the imperial family. Their future sons would also be eligible to ascend the throne. The men would come from 11 families that left the imperial register after Japan's defeat in World War II.

The new rules also end the practice under which women lose royal status after marrying a commoner. Their children, however, still cannot become emperor because of the male-only succession rule.

The legislation followed debate inside the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who opposes female succession. Seiichiro Murakami, a veteran LDP politician, said after the bill passed the lower house on July 10 that excluding Aiko was "utterly outrageous".

Asahiro Kuni, 81, a member of one of the 11 imperial branches, has said he would advise his grandchildren to refuse the chance to become royals. He told the Asahi Shimbun that by age 15, a person has grown up with freedom.

A Mainichi Shimbun poll conducted last month found 23 percent support for sons of re-adopted imperial family members becoming emperor and 34 percent opposition. The same poll found more than 70 percent support for a woman emperor and 40 percent support for a matrilineal emperor. An Asahi Shimbun poll in May found 72 percent support for changing the rules to allow women to ascend the throne.

The imperial family has 16 members, including five men: retired emperor Akihito, his brother, Emperor Naruhito, Naruhito's brother, and Prince Hisahito.

Hideya Kawanishi, a Nagoya University professor and expert on Japan's emperor system, said the bill fails to reflect public opinion. He said conservative forces in the ruling party want to preserve male-line, male-only succession and that the changes risk weakening public support for the symbolic emperor system.

People interviewed in Tokyo also criticised the limits. Office worker Yoshiki Yaguchi said more discussion of female emperors and changes reflecting modern society may have been needed. A high-school student identified as Yumi said male chauvinism should be removed.