37 Pct Support Adoption System for Imperial Family: Jiji Poll

Tokyo, May 21 (Jiji Press)–An opinion poll by Jiji Press has found that 37.5 pct of respondents are in favor of a proposal that male members in the paternal line of former Imperial Family branches be adopted back into the family. The figure exceeded 27.0 pct who oppose the proposal, which is aimed at securing a sufficient number of Imperial Family members. Among supporters of the major opposition Centrist Reform Alliance, which has recently decided to tolerate the adoption system, 50.0 pct expressed support for the proposal while 25.0 pct showed the opposite view. In contrast, opposition exceeded support among backers of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party and Team Mirai, all opposition parties. In addition to the adoption option, the ruling and opposition parties are considering a plan to allow female members of the Imperial Family to retain their status of the family after marriage. They are moving toward a unified stance supporting the plan for female Imperial Family members while there are cautious views regarding the adoption system. The heads and vice heads of both chambers of the country’s parliament will soon present a draft of their proposal to each party. The Jiji Press survey, conducted for four days through Monday, covered 2,000 people aged 18 or over nationwide. Valid responses came from 58.6 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]