Can Women Inherit Japan’s Throne? New Imperial Law Explained

Japan’s parliament on Thursday, July 17, approved the first substantive revision to the Imperial Household Law since 1947, expanding the imperial family’s membership while preserving the country’s centuries-old male-only succession system as concerns grow over the monarchy’s shrinking pool of heirs.

Within a few days, both houses of parliament approved the law, which means the wives of commoners will also become a part of the imperial family, as opposed to what was previously the case, which called for their removal from the household. It also allows for the adoption of male-line descendants of branches of the imperial family that lost their status after World War II.

The changes are intended to address the declining size of the imperial household, which has struggled to maintain official duties as its membership has fallen. However, the legislation stops short of allowing women to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne, leaving Japan’s succession rules unchanged despite years of public debate over reform.

Imperial Family Has Just Three Eligible Successors

Japan’s imperial family currently has 16 members, including only five men: Emperor Naruhito, 66; Crown Prince Akishino; Prince Hisahito, 19; retired Emperor Akihito, 92; and Prince Hitachi, 90.

The Imperial House Law stipulates that only three men are in the line of succession: Crown Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito and Prince Hitachi.

The new law allows adopted male descendants from former imperial branches to rejoin the family, but they cannot inherit the throne themselves. Instead, only their future male descendants would become eligible for succession.

It means the long-term future of the monarchy still depends largely on whether Prince Hisahito has a male heir.

Emperor Naruhito’s daughter, Princess Aiko, 24, remains barred from succeeding to the throne despite being one of the monarchy’s most prominent younger members. She graduated with a degree in Japanese literature and works at the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Critics Say Reform Avoids the Core Succession Issue

Former Japanese diplomat Seiichiro Noboru, who has ties to the imperial family, said the legislation reinforces the male-only succession system rather than addressing the monarchy’s long-term challenges.

“What the government is attempting to do clearly runs counter to public opinion,” Noboru said to NPR. He pointed to Article 1 of Japan’s Constitution, which states that the emperor is the symbol of the nation and derives the position from the will of the people.

Noboru argued that recognizing a female emperor would provide a more straightforward solution than relying on future adoptions from former imperial branches.

“The crucial point is that if a female emperor were recognized, we wouldn’t need to resort to such a complex adoption line,” he said.

Prime Minister Defends Male-Line Tradition

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, has defended the male-only succession system, arguing it preserves the historical legitimacy of the imperial institution.

“The unparalleled historic fact that the imperial line has been maintained through the male line for 126 generations is the foundation of the emperor’s authority and legitimacy,” Takaichi said during a party convention in April, according to the Mainichi Shimbun.

Her position contrasts with public opinion. Polls cited by Kyodo News have found that between 60% and 90% of respondents support allowing a woman to ascend the throne, with Princess Aiko frequently cited as a popular potential successor.

A Debate Rooted in History

Japan’s male-only succession rule dates to the Imperial Household Law enacted in 1889 during the Meiji era, when the emperor was positioned as the head of a patriarchal “family-state” and commander in chief.

Despite the current prohibition, Japan has had eight female emperors over nearly 12 centuries. Each belonged to the imperial lineage through the male line.

The new law aims to ensure a sufficient family to attend to the business of the state as the royal family grows older and smaller, the legislators said. The reform will, however, not solve Japan’s future succession problem, since adopted descendants can no longer inherit the throne either, raising the question of the future of the world’s oldest hereditary monarchy.