male-only succession
Coverage of male-only succession in the Nexus archive.
- Japan approves imperial reform, keeps throne male-only
Japan has approved new legislation to address the declining number of members in its imperial family. The reform maintains male-only succession to the throne despite public support for allowing a female emperor.
- Japan enshrines male-only succession for the shrinking imperial family
Japan’s parliament revised the Imperial House Law to restrict emperor succession to paternal-lineage males, excluding Emperor Naruhito’s daughter Princess Aiko. The law allows distant male relatives to be adopted as heirs and lets princesses retain royal status after marrying commoners, sparking concerns about the imperial family’s future and gender discrimination.
- Japan’s parliament enacts revised law that strengthens male-only succession to lead the shrinking imperial family
Japan’s parliament has enacted a revised law that reinforces male-only succession for the imperial family. The law addresses concerns about the shrinking imperial family by maintaining male primogeniture as the basis for leadership succession.
- Japan’s imperial family is diminishing. Plan for male-only succession could make it worse
Japan’s parliament is set to pass a law requiring male-only succession for the imperial family, which could threaten the survival of the 1,500-year-old institution as the family shrinks and ages.