Japan's imperial family faces extinction due to sexist succession rules
- Japan's Imperial House is experiencing a succession crisis due to outdated male-only inheritance rules.
- Emperor Naruhito's only child is Princess Aiko, while the royal family has only three remaining male heirs.
- The lack of successors and the ageing monarchy suggest an urgent need for reform and a reevaluation of gender roles.
Japan is currently facing a crisis within its Imperial House due to longstanding male primogeniture laws that restrict throne succession to male descendants only. This rule has led to a significant shortage of male heirs, as evidenced by Emperor Naruhito having only one daughter, Princess Aiko, born in 2001 after the emperor and empress underwent fertility treatments. There are only three male heirs remaining, which includes Crown Prince Fumihito, his son Prince Hisahito, and the elderly Prince Hitachi, whose diminishing numbers highlight the royal family's urgent need for reform. The issue is compounded by statistics, with female births overtaking male births in recent generations, resulting in an ageing monarchy. Currently, seven of the family members are over the age of 60, reflecting the need for rejuvenation within the ranks. The Imperial House had a maximum of 16 members, but this number has dwindled after the death of Princess Yuriko in November, further straining the family dynamics and public duties that need to be fulfilled by younger generations. Japanese law also enforces harsh rules for women born into the royal family, as they are not allowed to inherit the throne and lose their titles if they marry commoners. This situation heightened public scrutiny in 2017 when Fumihito's eldest daughter announced her intention to marry outside the royal family, highlighting the limits facing female members of the imperial family and resulting in a notable decrease in potential heirs. Possible reforms have been suggested, including allowing women to maintain their royal status after marriage, which could provide a pathway for future male descendants. However, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party opposes any changes that would allow the children of princesses to inherit the throne, creating a stalemate in progress. As it stands, the issues surrounding succession in Japan's Imperial House illustrate the broader societal conflicts between tradition and gender equality, leaving the future of the ancient monarchy uncertain.