Takaichi Administration is trying to enact a revision of the Imperial House Law to secure a stable number of imperial family members in the current Diet session. The revision concerns the succession of the Emperor.

The Imperial House Law of 1947 is a Japanese statute governing the imperial line of succession, membership of the Imperial Family, and imperial administrative procedures. It limits the Throne to legitimate, male-line male heirs and requires female imperial members to leave the family upon marrying a commoner.

According to core principles of succession, only legitimate males in the male imperial lineage can ascend to the throne. As of 2026, the only heirs to Emperor Naruhito are his younger brother, Crown Prince Fumihito, his nephew, Prince Hisahito, and his uncle Prince Hitachi.

Female members of the royal family, including Naruhito’s daughter, Princess Aiko, are excluded from the line of succession.

The female Minister does not accept the female emperor

According to the poll, 70~80 pct of Japanese people accept the female emperor.

Takaichi’s historical perspective and conservative principles are based on the idea, “an unbroken line of Emperors is made of only male-line male, which is the legitimacy of imperial house”. She repeatedly expresses this idea, which is reflected in her political decisions.

Takaichi says, “If Princess Aiko ascends to the throne, and she gets married to a commoner, the child will become afemale-line emperor. The imperial lineage will be transferred to a commoner in two generations.” She believes it means the extinction of the imperial family.

Is it correct? The direct lineage of the emperor will not be extinguished because a female emperor’s child keeps the emperor’s lineage. There seems to be confusion about whether conservatives oppose the “female-line emperor” (only the mother is in the imperial line) or the “female emperor”.

There were eight female emperors in 2,600 years of Japanese history

Looking back through history, all female emperors were “male-line,” and the legitimacy of the imperial line was maintained. It is important to understand that there were eight female emperors in 2,600 years of Japanese history.

“Male-line male” mythology was created during the Meiji Era for political reasons

The “male-line male” argument is an idea created during the Meiji Era for political purposes. After the Tokugawa Shogunate ended, they had to establish a powerful nation with the emperor at its center. They created a mythology that “male-line male” is essential to the country. We have to remember that “male-line male” is not based on our history, but a political ideology.

Male-line male mythology is supported by the conservative ideology group, the Shinto-related group, politicians who put value on male-line male ideology, and the former imperial branches who wish to return to the former imperial status. If a female-line emperor is approved, the former imperial branches will lose the opportunity to return to imperial status. Moreover, these conservative groups are an important source of support for Takaichi.

Conclusion

As far as the imperial system is concerned, Japan is not a democratic country. The female Prime Minister disregards the majority’s opinion supporting the female emperor and values the opinions of the ultra-conservative minority Advisory Council members to maintain her political stability.

There is a significant divide between the LDP’s conservative faction and public opinion. The discussion should be conducted in a public, more transparent manner to reflect diverse perspectives and opinions.