Diet Discussion on Imperial Family Resumes

Both chambers of the Diet held a meeting on stable succession of the imperial throne with participation with all the parties in both Houses on April 16th. The Speaker of House of Representative, Eisuke Mori, announced his hope to wrap up the discussion and legislate revised Imperial House Law by the end of current session of the Diet, which is scheduled to be closed on July 15th. However, opinions of parties are so different that they are not reaching a consensus immediately. 

It was the first meeting with all parties since they had last one in April 2025 when former ministers, Taro Aso with Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Yoshihiko Noda with Constitutional Democratic Party (CDPJ) of Japan, fundamentally opposed in details of measures for securing members of the imperial family. The structure of both chambers has changed after elections in 2025 and 2026.

 

With decrease of male members of imperial family who can succeed the imperial throne, it is an urgent issue for Japan to find a way to stable succession of the imperial throne. Additional resolution of 2017 Special Imperial House Law related to abdication of Emperor Akihito of Heisei demands the Diet to have a consensus on stable succession of imperial throne as the will of legislative branch.

 

A governmental conference by experts proposed to the Diet in 2021 two options for the stable succession. They were 1) allowing female members to stay in the imperial family after marriage and 2) reinstating male members of former imperial family along with the male line through adoption. While the LDP, with its coalition partner Japan Innovation Party (JIP), puts priority on 2), the CDPJ to the contrary focuses more on 1).

 

As the CDPJ argues that the spouse and children of staying female members in option 1) should be given status of imperial family members, the LDP strictly opposes that idea, being afraid of paving the way for an Emperor in female line. The CDPJ is skeptical about option 2), because some former members of imperial family may not prefer to be reinstated in imperial family. These gaps have not been narrowed in the discussion among the parties.

 

The Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) in the Lower House, which had been established with merge of CDPJ and Komeito in January 2026, does not have its internal consensus on this issue. Mori asked CRA to have a consensus within a month and hoped to have next meeting with CRA’s consensus. Democratic Party for the People, Komeito and Sanseito agree with option 1) and 2).

 

Conservative parties including the LDP, JIP and Sanseito strongly advocate keeping the throne in male line and oppose an emperor in female line. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asserted in her speech to LDP national convention on April 12ththat imperial history of succession along with the male line was source of authority and legitimacy. The Constitution of Japan states in article 1 that Emperor’s position derives from “the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power.” Takaichi and conservative powers’ insistence on succession along with the male line may undermine status of the Emperor, which the constitution endorses.

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