Discussion of Imperial Succession Resumes

The leading Liberal Democratic Party restarts the discussion for stable imperial succession. In the policy speech at the beginning of current extraordinary session of the Diet, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his hope to accelerate the discussion, which has been slowed down. Considering the fundamental difference between the conservative lawmakers and the others over how to deal with the issue of female imperial family, it is not easy for them to have a conclusion soon.

In his policy speech on September 23rd, Kishida expected active discussion on imperial succession in the Diet. “Various issues related to ensuring stable imperial succession are important issues connected to the fundamentals of the country, with a particular concern on the issue of how to address the declining number of Imperial Family members,” said Kishida. He demanded that a consensus of the legislature would be compiled as soon as possible.

 

Article 1 of Imperial Household Law says “The Imperial Throne shall be succeeded to by a male offspring in the male line belonging to the Imperial Lineage.” Applying it to current Imperial Family, there are only two qualified males who are younger than Emperor Naruhito: Crown Prince Akishino, the Emperor’s younger brother, and Akishino’s son Prince Hisahito.

 

An expert panel in the government concluded its opinion in December 2021. The report recommended that female members of the imperial household, who are going to leave the Imperial Family after marriage, retain their royal status regardless of marriage, and that males from former branches of the Imperial Family regain their imperial status through adoption. Kishida administration submitted the report to the Diet in January 2022.

 

However, the discussion in the Diet did not make a progress. Although LDP set up a team for discussing the report’s recommendation, it is remaining dormant. Conservative lawmakers in LDP are basically reluctant to discuss this issue, which may lead to an amendment of Imperial Household Law. Kishida, as the president of LDP, wanted to revitalize the discussion by including his message in his policy speech for the first time.

 

The new team in LDP will be placed directly under the president, headed by the vice-president Taro Aso. Whether the new team will have active discussion may forecast the fortune of Kishida administration, because it is possible for the conservatives in LDP to defy the request from the prime minister.

 

Among the opposition parties, Constitutional Democratic Party and Democratic Party for the People has not concluded the discussion on the issue. Imperial Party submitted the Diet an opinion that evaluated the idea of males from former branches regain their imperial status. Japan Communist Party supports the idea of having empresses and emperors of matrilineal descent.

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