Plan emerges to preserve imperial family by retaining married women

The government says it would seek to make sure the will of female members will be fully respected under the plan and carefully study its feasibility, the sources added.

Judging from what's recently happening with Princess Mako, and what's been happening for decades Empress Masako, the Japanese government's definition of "fully respected" seems to be a little bit off... to say the least.

Isn't it about time this meaningless situation was brought to an end? How can the guy be called Emperor when everything he says and does is dictated by Kunaicho, the Imperial Household Agency? Time to scrap it, along with the ridiculous dating system, Showa, Heisei, Reiwa. It's far too complicated and impossible to understand what year is being referred to without a chart.

“Even though opinion polls suggest overwhelming public support for allowing women or those descending from a female member of the imperial family to ascend the throne to secure a stable succession, conservative elements have been staunchly opposed to such an idea.”

And there you have it, the public is in favour of female succession, but majority overruled by the minority conservatives. Disgraceful.

One would hope the current emperor could put his foot down and demand change, after all, they represent the people of Japan do they not?

Leave the succession rule and other technicalities to the royal family members. It's primarily a house issue & tradition, and I have confidence that they will be able to handle it well for their own sake and survival.

As taxpayers, Japanese people should be more concerned with expenses and public duties commissioned to the Imperial House. They have something to do with the optimal size of the royal family, and at issue is the status of female members after their marriage (or a possible comeback of the former royal members). Other than that, tabloid stories are rather a turn-off to me.

So they will do anything else to preserve the royal family but allowing a female heir to take the throne is an absolute NO.

I like how every photo of the Japanese Royal Family acting 'natural' looks like it comes from a furniture catalogue.

Where's the imperial pegboard?

Why does the government care about things that are none of the government's business? Who marries whom, when, whether they have a child and the sex of the child are simply things that are none of the government's business.

Plan emerges... That sounds so incredibly absurd and ridiculous. I wonder how many meetings, reports and faxes this brilliant idea cost.

Then Princess Aiko could become the Empress of Japan !

Its OK to have overwhelming public support for allowing women or those descending from a female member of the imperial family to ascend the throne to secure a stable succession, but it is not okay to have a women elected for PM of Japan!