Primary Debates Surrounding the Emperor System

The Japanese Emperor System faces the most pressing institutional issues today. Under the current system, females are not allowed to ascend to the imperial throne of Japan. The Emperor has a daughter, Aiko-sama. According to a Mainichi Shimbun poll, support for female emperors reached 81% as of May 2024.

The shrinking number of male heirs has sparked urgent discussions about revising the Imperial House Law to allow female succession or expand the pool of eligible successors.

There was an unforgettable event back in November 2005. The Council of Advisors to the Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, submitted a report that prioritizes firstborns, regardless of gender, meaning allowing female line emperors.

However, to our surprise, Akishinomiya, the Emperor’s brother, suddenly announced a pregnancy of a boy in February 2006. As a result, the revision of the imperial constitution fell through.

Twenty years later, Aiko-sama, the Emperor’s daughter, and Akihito-sama, Akishinomiya’s son, have grown up. Aiko-sama has turned 24, just finished her first diplomatic visit to Laos, and Akihito-sama is now a university student.

We have a female prime minister, a female metropolitan governor, and some female executives at major companies. It is time to seriously consider the future of the Emperor System and adjust it to a more suitable era. We sincerely hope the female Emperor will be realized as soon as possible.