Objecting UN Recommendation for imperial Gender Equality

Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MOFA) delivered a response to the recommendation of a United Nations body on discrimination of women in October, 2024, which demanded Japan to guarantee equality of women and men in succession to the throne. The ministry explained that the system of imperial succession in Japan had nothing to do with discrimination. However, it is unclear whether the world can understand what the ministry is talking about.

United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Woman (CEDAW) issued concluding observation on the 9th periodic reports of Japan, which considered “allowing only male offspring from the male line of the imperial lineage to succeed to the throne is incompatible with articles of the Convention.” The “Convention” of 1979 determines that any distinction made on the basis of sex is discrimination. The committee recommended Japan to amend the Imperial House Law.

 

MOFA press secretary, Toshihiro Kitamura, revealed in his press conference on January 29th that the ministry had submitted an opinion on the issue to the UN. The ministry argued that it was inappropriate for the committee to deal with the Imperial House Law of Japan, because the qualification of succeeding to the throne was not included in the basic human rights. MOFA argues that limitation of the succession only to male does not consist of discrimination in the convention.

 

Kitamura explained that Japan took two measures against the observation of CEDAW. One is requesting the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) not to use Japan’s voluntary fund for CEDAW. Japan has been financially contributing annual 20 million to 30 million yen to the office. But Japan’s request will not affect activities of CEDAW, since Japan’s contribution has never used for the committee.

 

Another measure Kitamura announced was cancellation of a program for the members of CEDAW visiting Japan later this year. Japan has been inviting the members every year to show the situation of gender equality in Japanese society since 2017. Japan also refuses the process for examination on the report of Japanese government.

 

There is an argument from the conservative powers in Japan that the imperial succession should be limited to male offspring. However, the number of male members of the Imperial House is reducing as female members have left the house with marriage. The experts on this issue recommended some measures to increase the members by inviting relatives of the family.

 

Some groups promoting gender equality protested MOFA’s measures against CEDAW by handing over a letter to the minister. They warned that defunding the organization against discrimination on woman would send the world a wrong message that Japan would defy gender equality. It matters whether gender equality is applied to the Imperial House with long history of male superiority.

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