Princess Mako's boyfriend influencing imperial succession debate

So, the 'panel' ignores the wishes of the majority of Japanese citizens? Doesn't sound nice. And that's putting it mildly. I wonder what QE2's opinion would be? She's a lot smarter and far more experienced at royalty than those 'experts' who are afraid to join the new age of reality.

As for those two youngsters, I've said it before, leave them alone. They have a life and it probably doesn't include those geriatrics who want to control something as irrelevant as a royal family.

to enable unmarried male members of the former branches to join the imperial family.

A big problem is that the Japanese public haven't got any info about unmarried male members of the former branches. We don't know whether such persons exist, let alone what kind of background and character they hold, to fit well to the throne.

When will society advance beyond the desire to use public funds to financially support an imperial family? Tokyo’s centrally positioned Imperial Palace would make a tremendous park that could be enjoyed by everyone!

A big problem is that the Japanese public haven't got any info about unmarried male members of the former branches. We don't know whether such persons exist, let alone what kind of background and character they hold, to fit well to the throne.

You may not "know" but that does not mean, based upon your assumptions, that the Japanese dont know! They are not one and the same!

It is relatively common knowledge that the following the war the number of families that made up the "royalty" here in Japan were cut in numbers. There is PLENTY of information about those families, and there have been discussions regarding bringing them back into the imperial registry because of the lack of male heirs.

Why does the government need a panel of 21 "experts" to give an opinion on a subject they actually have no expertise in? At the end of the day, these experts are just commoners.

This "trouble" with Komuro is just being used as an excuse by the people against allowing females into the imperial succession line.

Heaven forbid that a child of someone like him, not fit to even marry the Princess, be even considered for succession as Emperor or Empress in Japan!

Why did it take until nearly the end of the article to get to the main point?

After finishing the experts' hearing, the panel backed retaining the current rules of succession, shelving the idea of female monarchs and female-line emperors.

So once again, nothing changes despite what the vast majority of the public thinks.

The best solution would be to simply abolish the royal family all together. Its 2021 not 1321.

Who cares. His mom is using this to her advantage.

For goodness sake, just get married.

@TrevorPeace

So, the 'panel' ignores the wishes of the majority of Japanese citizens? 

This is not something that is unusual here in Japan just look at the olympic shenanigans.

Japanese Monarchy is outdated anyway and should be abolished they are no better or worse than any other human being regardless if their ancient family have tricked an entire nation into believing that they are descended from gods.

Many monarchy's have already been abolished and it hasn't caused issues for those countries they are not needed...

Many countries have a shorter history than Japan's Imperial Family.

The Japanese Imperial Family has such a long history and is so great.

Many foreigners and Japanese people do not understand the difference between "female emperor" and "female lineage emperor".

In one poll, more than half of the respondents agreed with the question "Do you agree with a female lineage emperor? More than half of the respondents were in favor of it.

However, when asked "Do you know the difference between a female emperor and a female lineage emperor? More than half of the respondents answered, "I don't know.

To put it simply, if a "female lineage emperor" is born, the lineage that has been maintained for more than 2000 years will be broken.

All monarchies should be abolished, right?

Well, unless I was smart enough to be born into a royal family.

Princess Mako's boyfriend influencing imperial succession debate

Very misleading title, looks like the author is new here and thinks the panel meeting wa influenced by the engagement and money issue.

This is such a stupid thing to be debating in the 21st century.

The advisory panel concluded that the centuries-old male only imperial succession should be maintained. Common knowledge prevailed.

The best solution would be to simply abolish the royal family all together. Its 2021 not 1321.

let’s abolish the rich & the famous as well.

Then we’ll all be equals, in a peaceful loving world

No Japanese that I have talked to likes this guy.

"Female succession means, for example, a child born between Princess Mako and her partner could become the emperor or empress..."

The deal killer for female succession is the above: to imagine that a son of Kei Komuro could one day take the chrysanthemum throne.

An uncomfortable photo. See how her right shoulder is raised as a defence towards him.

See how her right shoulder is raised as a defence towards him.

No, I honestly do not. Both her shoulders are at the same height.

The business with Kimura is extremely grubby, people fighting in public over small amounts of money is Jerry Springer/Jeremy Kyle level, but has nothing to do with female succession. Female succession is about Aiko sama, not Mako sama.

You may not "know" but that does not mean, based upon your assumptions, that the Japanese dont know! They are not one and the same!

It is relatively common knowledge that the following the war the number of families that made up the "royalty" here in Japan were cut in numbers. There is PLENTY of information about those families, and there have been discussions regarding bringing them back into the imperial registry because of the lack of male heirs.

Unlike Komuro, those male of "valid royal bloodline" have remained unanimous and protected by media scrutiny (not merely tabloid type). Things are totally off-limits, and very few knows their personal names or whereabouts.

Without sufficient knowledge and proper screening for entry to the Imperial House, how could the Japanese public possibly accept that someone unknown would become all of a sudden Crown Prince to the throne? What if he turns out to be just like another (disputed) Komuro? I oppose the comeback plan much short of accountability. On the level of trust, the current young female royal members have been much better, more credible and qualified for the throne.

This "trouble" with Komuro is just being used as an excuse by the people against allowing females into the imperial succession line.

But this behavior is a bit self-contradictory. Under the current law, Princess Mako would have to leave the House losing the royal status when getting married with Komuro who is a commoner. If those male-linage proponents (or misogynists?) are to prevent a woman from ascending to the throne, they should welcome Komuro and push them for a quick marriage.

"Within the ruling party, there is a longing for (Princess Aiko) to ascend the throne," a senior government official said, referring to the Liberal Democratic Party headed by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

Several experts also hinted at support for Princess Aiko's ascension during the meetings, with one going as far as saying, "There are many people who say the world would become a brighter place if (she) became (reigning) empress."

Why am I skeptical, could it be because Princess Aiko could be open to politically suggestive manipulation from a ruling government.

I wound not be so sure/confident of that.

Princess Aiko, both Mother and Father, are skilled diplomates as well as loving parents, they will spot your duplicity from kilometers away.

 Things are totally off-limits, and very few knows their personal names or whereabouts.

You think so? And this is just in English. While "things" may be off limits (rolling eyes) it does not change the fact that the information is not so hard to find, as you initially stated!

All of these traditions and solutions had been discontinued or prohibited by the 1950s. Emperor Hirohito was the Emperor of Japan during World War II. After the war ended, a new constitution was drawn up for Japan which, among other things, limited the succession to agnatic descendants of Hirohito's father, the Emperor Taisho, thus excluding cadet branches of the Imperial family. It also prohibited the ancient and well-accepted Imperial Japanese practise of adoption. Since the days of the Emperor Meiji, the practise of having several consorts had been discontinued. The imperial family, therefore, became very small after the new constitution of Japan was adopted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_succession_debate

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_clans

The Japanese Imperial Family has such a long history and is so great

Yes. Imagine if a direct male descendant of Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar was currently the head of state of Greece and Italy and you can understand the dilemma. This needs to be a careful decision.

The smile on that picture is cringey. Definitely fake love, otherwise why don't they just runaway like Harry & Megan and make huge headline (well it will happen only in Japan, the world don't care)

After finishing the experts' hearing, the panel backed retaining the current rules of succession, shelving the idea of female monarchs and female-line emperors.

As the son of a single mother, I know what it's like to be "shelved." They will come begging for her when necessary, and she can then decide.

Princess Aiko seems like the obvious choice for next in line. Japan had empresses at one time. Just do that again. What's the big deal?

BTW, does anybody else find Princess Mako's smile to be a little strange and even somewhat creepy? And why doesn't her fiancé just pay back his mom's ex-boyfriend already? It's less than $40,000. A Toyota Crown cost more than that.

"Female succession is about Aiko sama, not Mako sama."

Well, at lease one person here understands this important fact! lol. Thank you for pointing it out to everyone.

I might add that this is as much about the very MALE Prince Fumihito's machinations as anything else, since the "spare to the heir" (and his plans for redirecting the line of Emperors over to first HIMSELF, then to his SON and, presumably, son's sons) would have been otherwise left in the cold in terms of succession. About as unnecessary as, say, Epstein's former Favourite Sun Bud, Prince Andrew!

But thanks to the sudden birth of a son, 12 long years after his second daughter's birth, by the way, and just when the then-popular prime minister Koizumi was set to introduce revision of the Imperial Household Law in favour of Aiko-sama, now Fumihito gets to one day be THE FIRST MAN OF JAPAN, too! lol.

Oh well. Something tells me that Tenno Heika and his Kogo were supremely happy to have that burden lifted from their only daughter Aiko-sama's shoulders, even though they must go through with the thing themselves...

How about making the grandson of present emperor the next emperor n make the current crown crown prince hereditary crown prince only the lineage will continue smoothly n it will not be the first time japan having a female emperor as historically the divinity of Japanese royal family was descended from moon goddess then why is this gender bias from oyagis of nippon kaigi crown prince stem present emperor next his daughter becomes the next female emperor

The long succession is pure supposition as it is from male to male, so without DNA testing there is no proof that one or more imperial mothers didn’t have it off with a tasty servant and pass the kid off as the emperors. The only certainty is who the mother is not the father, that (in the past) can only be taken on trust.

So the entire argument is founded on a false premise anyway.

How long have they been talking about the guy’s mom’s debt? Hasn’t it been years? How much does she actually owe? Have they not paid it off yet?

What's the point? Just scrap the whole system. There is no Emperor. There is no Empire. Scrap the useless Imperial system of dating while you're at it.

All I know is that Princess Mako and Mr. Komuro should be allowed to get married. As far as the succession issues. Empress Masako was a commoner and suffered greatly because she didn’t produce a male heir. And I wonder how Princess Aiko feels. I imagine it’s not pleasant for her to think that she is viewed as unworthy simply because she is not male. A change allowing female monarchs would surely remove these unfair stresses on members of the Imperial Family. I also just have to say Princess Mako looks very royal and if that look on her face isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

Based on this logic, the same can be said for any woman the male members marry.

Are they now advocating incest?

European monarchs and Egyptian monarchs did that and it did not turn out so well for either.

Patrilineal monarchy or just bloodlines are always suspect. I doubt that it is unbroken. Besides, matrilineal is more reliable anyway.

I think this two really do want to be together. Unfortunately, it is the parents that are %&#'in it up for them. It is the dysfunctional parents fault!

Either this guy really really truly loves her or there is some other reason they would not just separate. Or he’s a gold digger or, more likely, the princess is being held hostage essentially and is not being allowed to separate to save face. Personally, if I were him, it just doesn’t seem worth the trouble. Plenty of single girls in New York who don’t come with the psychotic baggage of the Japanese royal family.

Komura is a stain on the Imperial Family.

Princess Mako should have dumped the guy years ago.

BlackFlagCitizen

Why does the government need a panel of 21 "experts" to give an opinion on a subject they actually have no expertise in? At the end of the day, these experts are just commoners.

Agree. They should settle with a referendum.... after all, the royal family is supposed to represent the nation.

The smile on that picture is cringey. Definitely fake love, otherwise why don't they just runaway like Harry & Megan and make huge headline (well it will happen only in Japan, the world don't care)

Parental pressure and adult self restraint probably. The looks on their faces though makes it look like they ready for their wedding night, lol.

Empress Masako was a commoner and suffered greatly because she didn’t produce a male heir. And I wonder how Princess Aiko feels

The really sad thing about this is that the female does not determine the sex of the baby even as ignorant societies often blame the female for "failing to produce a male offspring". The female always contributes an X chromosome to the baby. It is the male who contributes either the second X chromosome for a female or a Y chromosome for a male offspring.