Tokyo: A draft plan aimed at addressing the declining number of members in Japan’s Imperial family is expected to be unveiled ahead of the House of Councillors election campaign this summer, according to House of Representatives Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga.
The plan is currently being developed by the heads and deputy heads of both chambers of the National Diet and will be presented at the next cross-party meeting, Nukaga confirmed during a gathering of ruling and opposition lawmakers on Thursday.
One of the main features of the proposal is to allow female members of the Imperial family to retain their royal status even after marriage — a measure that has gained broad support across political parties and parliamentary groups. However, the issue remains contentious regarding the Imperial status of their spouses and children.
During the meeting, most participants backed the idea of giving female royals the option to remain part of the Imperial household after marrying. This condition would also apply to all female descendants of the Emperor from the male line. However, lawmakers could not reach a consensus on whether the husbands and children of these women should also be granted Imperial status.
Additionally, the discussion touched on the possibility of reintroducing male descendants from former Imperial family branches, such as Kuni, Higashikuni, Kaya, and Takeda into the current royal household through adoption by existing members. This proposal also remains a subject of division.
“We’ve now heard all perspectives,” said House of Representatives Vice Speaker Koichiro Gemba after the meeting. “We want to avoid endlessly repeating discussions and letting time slip by without action.”
It was also disclosed that a document identifying unmarried male descendants from four former Imperial branches had been distributed in a separate session involving government experts. These individuals could potentially be candidates for reinstatement into the Imperial family if consensus is reached.
The ongoing deliberations reflect growing urgency in resolving the issue of succession and sustainability within the world’s oldest hereditary monarchy.
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