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Japan enshrines male-only imperial succession law

newsJul 17, 202611175

Japan’s parliament enacted a revision to the 19th-century Imperial House Law that insists only men in the paternal line can become emperor. The measure allows adoption of distant male relatives to father future heirs and lets princesses keep their royal status after marrying commoners. Emperor Naruhito’s 24-year-old daughter Princess Aiko remains ineligible because she is female; under the law the line moves instead to Naruhito’s younger brother and then to his 19-year-old nephew Prince Hisahito. Only five of the 16 adult members of the imperial family are men and there are currently no children in the household. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and other conservatives argued the male bloodline is the source of the emperor’s authority, while Nagoya University expert Hideya Kawanishi called the change a declaration to prevent female monarchs. The paternal-line requirement was first written into the 1890 Imperial House Law and critics warn the new rules could accelerate the shrinking and aging of the imperial family.

Olga Nesterova
@onestpress.onestnetwork.com

AP: Japan’s parliament enacted historic 19th-century Imperial House Law revision by insisting only paternal-lineage men can become emperor. Emperor Naruhito’s 24 y/o daughter is hugely popular, but is ineligible because she is a woman.

1013h ago
Angele13

It’s 2026 & women are still treated as 2nd class citizens. A new day is coming.

Devourer of Wordles12

Misogyny in Japan? Color me surprised!

Andy K7

What exactly did they revise? If this is still the case, and was the case before, I don’t see any change. So why “enact” a “revision”.

@KeepItBlueDems.bsky.social5

Living in the 50's like the US.

blinxrepulse.bsky.social3

Wait, what? Japan's Parliament explicitly went again the Emperor's (multiple I think?) long-stated publicized efforts and positions???

Mary Torgersen 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇬🇪3

Who signs this into law? The country’s first female prime minister? Rich!

The Associated Press
@apnews.com

Japan's parliament enshrines a male-only succession law that could doom the country's shrinking imperial family.

693h ago
Katie4

Patriarchal structures like this hurt everyone involved.

terryZ2

"... Aiko’s ... mother Empress Masako ... developed a stress-induced mental condition, apparently over criticism for not producing a male heir." Are they intentionally ignoring the fact that it is the FATHER who determines the sex of a child and NOT the mother?

olivop.bsky.social1

Itty bitty, teeny weeny men are so scared of women.

Irwin Glenn1

There is no one, none, without having an umbilical cord. No male can produce this essential part of life as a human, Emperor or not.

Quoting this
HockeyBroad2

It's kind of hilarious in a way that such an incredibly forward-looking nation like Japan is simultaneously extremely stuck in the past.

Jon Reinsch
@jonreinsch.bsky.social

"CDP lawmaker Hiroyuki Nagahama argued that an expert panel report compiled in 2005 under then [PM] Junichiro Koizumi's administration accepted female and female-line emperors. ... 'This was 20 years ago, but the current debate is far more outdated mainichi.jp/english/arti...

210h ago
The Royal News Organisation
@royalnewsorg.bsky.social

The bill to amend the Imperial House Law has passed the House of Representatives in Japan.

2Yesterday
Tricia
@breashay.bsky.social

Japan's parliament enshrines male-only succession for the shrinking imperial family apnews.com/article/japa.... What about Japan is more intelligent than this! Well, what the hell let them go ahead and slit their own throat!

13h ago
FujiiPonta
@fujiiponta.bsky.social

Japan’s parliament enacted a historic revision to the 19th century Imperial House Law on Friday (July 17) by insisting only paternal-lineage men can become emperor, sparking fear that it could doom the already shrinking imperial family. apnews.com/article/japa...

4h ago
steampunk62.bsky.social
@steampunk62.bsky.social

apnews.com/article/japa... The revisions include adoption of distant male relatives to father future heirs and allowing princesses to keep their royal status after marrying commoners. Royal watchers and experts fear the new measures could doom the 1,500-year-old hereditary institution.

3h ago
Sci-what?!
@sciwhat.bsky.social

Well, then maybe this royal institution should collapse under the weight of the patriarchy. apnews.com/article/japa...

3h ago
local-news-pgh.bsky.social
@local-news-pgh.bsky.social

Japan’s imperial family is diminishing. Plan for male-only succession could make it worse https://triblive.com/news/world/japans-imperial-family-is-diminishing-plan-for-male-only-succession-could-make-it-worse/

3h ago
Invalid Handle News
@news.invalid-handle.com

Japan parliament passes flag desecration law and maintains male-only imperial succession. Uganda ends Ebola outbreak wait. Fourteen die in Peru van crash. Thousands of Dutch independent workers return to formal employment. AI model Claude varies values based on language. Shohei Ohtani wins ESPYs.

3h ago
Soo__！
@tomboy007.bsky.social

Talk of the Imperial House Law and the national flag is merely a smokescreen; why are people turning a blind eye to the fact that there is absolutely no discussion of a reduction in the consumption tax?

Just now
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apnews.comJapan's imperial family is diminishing. Plan for male-only succession could make it worse

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