Japan considers setting up panel on imperial succession

Ah, Japan! The land that considers thinking about moving towards forming a group to talk about thinking of making a decision some day in the future... maybe.

Once again........ considers, urges, thinks about,

What a useless waste of time and money. Accept women as potential empresses and all done.

Japan's royal system ended with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. As we see what is happening in Thailand, unless they are worth respect of the population, the system is unsustainable.

Either they modernize or abolish the monarchy. They are archaic and have no bearing on this age.

I wish them well, but they really need to be dragged into the 21st century.

Considers?...

More like Must, else thus will be the end of imperial Japan.

Very simple logic here. If leaders want to see more of X in the workforce and social developments, they need to show X in leadership. In this situation X is women so just allow for either women or men to succeed. If that can't be done, a "healthier" compromise would be to have women maintain their royal rankings after marriage or set up a highly improbable yet possible succession line. But to be truthful, unless the worse possible fears become reality, I don't see anything but discussion occurring.

Japan considers - don't hold your breath.

Yes, why don't you talk about it for the next couple of centuries.....

During the old feudal days, it was very important to maintain one's family line kept intact and secure from a higher to lower echelon in society.

The 11th Shogunate Tokugawa Ienari (1787 - 1837) is said to have fathered 53 children between 24 concubines outside between the official spouse for this reason.

Social mores change as times go on. It is nonsense to keep the male-only succession rules for the imperial family. Or should the times be reversed?

Wow, that is fantastic news. A few months ago they were still considering on whether to take things into consideration, but now they've already progressed to a more definite considering. Could it be that Japan is finally entering the age of exponential consideration we've all been waiting for?

I think they have been talking about this since the day i arrived in Japan .

ages ago. nothing has happened

Another boondoggle of officialdom and burden for the rest of us: just send the bill to the taxpayers.

Japan considers setting up panel on imperial succession

right! because there are no seriously pressing matters to deal with.. oh wait.

I'm still suspicious about the circumstances under which the emperor's nephew was born.

It's strange how practically all the western royal families have no problems with female heads.

To show that the nation is sincere in elevating the status of women, Japan should consider allowing Princess Aiko to be the successor of Emperor Naruhito.

It would be wise to go for a change in the imperial succession rule.

This is 21st century..

They have been considering this for years, officially from 2005 to 2012. During that period, Japan discussed the possibility of changing the laws of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, which is currently limited to males of the Japanese Imperial Family.

No conclusion. No recommendation. Nothing.

Time for another advisory panel.

As vanityofvanities suggested, Japan's royal system seems to have ended with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Covid-19 not withstanding, the current Emperor and Empress have done virtually nothing other than a few esoteric ceremonies that the IHA publish low-res photos on their website, to which few people are invited, and have all but disappeared from public view. Most news is of the Crown Prince's daughter, and the long saga of her fiance's mother's money, and some insipid statements from her father on 'approval'.

Apologize for mention the Kingdom Of Sweden twice.

The 11th Shogunate Tokugawa Ienari (1787 - 1837) is said to have fathered 53 children between 24 concubines outside between the official spouse for this reason.

True, and it was then valid and encouraged "policy"; offsprings were either reserved as backups for succession, or were (near-forcibly?) adopted by other key samurai retainers in a way the shognate strengthened its political control.

It's also worth noting that many Tokugawa shoguns had arisen "out of wedlock." More significantly, this pattern is also the case for Japan's royal family. The current royal family was also from a sideline stream. An implication: the patrilinal line-succession can rarely survive long without polygamy.

Social mores change as times go on. It is nonsense to keep the male-only succession rules for the imperial family. Or should the times be reversed?

Under the current succession rule the royal family as the top public figure won't last without some reforms. The key is whether, how and how much female royal members are to be involved in the royal activities.

Personally I support for a female emperor while beliving that a compromise may be possilbe with "male only" proponents by combining the rules of both premogeniture and men's inheritance. Under my proposal, Princess Aiko is still qualified as a crown princess (in order after the current crown prince Fumihito of Akishino, ahead of his son Prince Hisahito)

Wonderful another "panel" to access yet more public funds.

Jesus, just let a woman on the game of thrones and quit wasting our tax money on setting up these arrogant picklbee meetings. Get rid of the unnecessary kunaikai while they're at it.

Japan's royal system ended with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. As we see what is happening in Thailand, unless they are worth respect of the population, the system is unsustainable

Well it depends on how you interpret Japan's royal house, its historical development. I see its raison d'etre and role having evolved over time, added new meaning and function especially at the time of nationwide crises. While some conservative groups stress its centuries-old unbroken continuity, the present day royal house is already quite different from one during the wartime and much earlier acient periods. For own survival and further prosperity, yes, I also think that the royal family would need to care a closer relationship with its "commoners."

Well going by the survey it looks like most people support a change.

Make it official with a referendum on the issue, after all they are the Japanese people’s imperial family?

@Austpaul - a referendum on the issue. The monarchy is not the problem it’s the old fossils - the law makers. Make them retire at 70 !

Simple allow females to succession

I’m all for the daughter becoming empress.

This guy, the younger brother Crown Prince Fumihito, however, is dead against it because he wants his son to become emperor.