politics
Japan Amends Imperial House Law to Allow Adoption of Male Heirs
Parliament passed the first revision to the statute's core text in more than seven decades on July 17. The measure expands the pool of male successors while leaving the ban on female emperors in place.
Jul 21, 5:43 AM·1m read1 source
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Japan's parliament approved an amendment to the Imperial House Law on July 17, the first revision to the core text in more than seven decades, GB News reported. The upper chamber passed the bill after the lower house had already given its approval. The legislation permits male descendants from 11 formerly imperial branches to be adopted into the royal family if they are aged 15 or older.
Female members of the imperial household will retain their titles if they marry outside royal circles. The prohibition on women ascending the throne remains unchanged. Three eligible male heirs currently stand in line for the Chrysanthemum Throne, two of whom have reached their sixties or beyond, GB News reported.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have one daughter, Princess Aiko. Females have been barred from becoming emperor since 1889. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the nation's first female leader, opposes allowing women to inherit the crown.
The last previous amendment to the Imperial House Law occurred in 1949. Princess Mako relinquished her imperial standing in 2021 to marry Kei Komuro. The couple welcomed their first child in May 2025.
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