Imperial Family Adoptions from Former Branches Eyed as Exception

Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to allow the Imperial Family to adopt male, paternal-line descendants of former Imperial Family branches as an exception to Article 9 of the Imperial House Law, which bans the Emperor and other Imperial Family members from adopting children, it was learned Wednesday. This plan, included in a government-drafted outline of a bill to revise the law, apparently aims to address concerns among some opposition parties about allowing such adoptions. On Thursday, the government will present the outline to a panel of representatives from 13 ruling and opposition parties. If the panel approves the outline, the government plans to submit the bill to the Diet by the end of this month, hoping to enact it during the current Diet session. According to the outline, Imperial Family adoptees would be limited to individuals aged 15 or older and with no wife or child. Adopting minors would not require permission from a family court. The outline also calls for allowing female members of the Imperial Family to retain their Imperial Family status after marriage. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]