Crown Prince Akishino, the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito and next in line to Japan’s throne, has said he has “mixed feelings” about the government’s decision to retain a male-only succession system under revisions to the Imperial House Law.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday ahead of a planned visit to Paraguay later this month, Akishino said he believed both men and women were capable of carrying out the duties expected of members of the Imperial Family and responding to the needs of society.
His remarks come only weeks after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s conservative government revised the Imperial House Law to reaffirm that only men from the paternal line can become emperor.
The rule has faced criticism from those who regard it as outdated and discriminatory towards women. Opponents have also warned that maintaining male-only succession could further reduce the already shrinking Imperial Family and place additional pressure on its limited number of eligible members.
Akishino, who is a member of the Imperial Family and is expected to avoid political statements, took a cautious approach when discussing the controversial change.
“I have mixed feelings about it, and it’s rather strange if I don’t,” he said when asked about the government’s decision.
He described the issue as difficult and indicated that he was unable to speak openly about the matter. At the same time, he said society should continue moving forward and that people with differing opinions should keep considering what would be best.
The succession rules have particular significance for Emperor Naruhito’s 24-year-old daughter, Princess Aiko, who is widely popular among the Japanese public. Under the current system, however, she cannot inherit the throne because she is a woman.
The male-only succession rule means the throne would pass to Akishino, followed by his 19-year-old son, Prince Hisahito. The next eligible successor after Hisahito is the emperor’s 90-year-old uncle.
The latest revisions were intended to reinforce the principle of maintaining the Imperial bloodline but have also drawn criticism for excluding Princess Aiko from consideration.
Under the changes, female members of the Imperial Family who marry commoners will be allowed to retain their royal status and continue performing official duties. However, their husbands and children will not become members of the Imperial Family.
Another controversial provision allows unmarried male descendants aged 15 or above from distant branches of the Imperial Family to be adopted into the immediate royal household to help produce future heirs. However, only descendants from the paternal line are eligible.
The changes have prompted protests from critics who argue that the policy is designed to prevent Princess Aiko from ever becoming empress while reinforcing a patriarchal system.
Japan has previously had eight female monarchs, although the most recent, Empress Gosakuramachi, ruled more than 250 years ago, from 1762 to 1770.
The principle of succession through males from the paternal line was formally established under the Imperial House Law of 1890, during a period when Japan was strengthening patriarchal structures. Much of that framework was later carried into the 1947 version of the law.
There are also concerns that further changes to the succession system could affect the legacy of former Emperor Akihito, who abdicated in 2019. Akihito was known for seeking to bring the Imperial Family closer to the public and for expressing remorse and remembrance towards victims of World War II.
His efforts to create a more approachable monarchy were continued by Emperor Naruhito and his family, making the debate over the future of the Imperial institution particularly significant for Japan.
