Japan’s Revised Imperial House Law to Take Effect Oct. 24

Tokyo, July 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s revised Imperial House Law, aimed at securing a stable number of Imperial Family members, was promulgated Friday, paving the way for it to take effect on Oct. 24. The revised law, enacted on July 17, allows male, paternal-line descendants of the 11 former Imperial Family branches to be adopted into the Imperial Family, and female Imperial Family members to remain within the family after marriage. Preparations for the law’s implementation are expected to be led primarily by the Imperial Household Agency. Under the law, adoptees themselves will not be eligible to succeed to the throne, although their male descendants will be granted succession rights. The law also stipulates that husbands and children of female members of the Imperial Family will not be granted Imperial status. The legislation to revise the law was not approved unanimously in either the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, or the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, likely due to the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s emphasis on maintaining succession through paternal-line male descendants. Regarding the law’s supplementary provisions requiring a review every 30 years, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference Friday, “We will address how the review should be conducted while respecting the will of the legislature.” The opposition Centrist Reform Alliance has urged the government to promptly establish a panel of experts to consider a stable succession plan. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]