EDITORIAL: Public opinion is crucial to resolving the thorny issue of imperial succession

Ruling and opposition parties will soon debate key imperial succession issues.

The central question is how to secure a sufficient number of imperial relatives and how to guarantee a stable succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

While there appear to be signs of consensus building on some issues, there apparently are deep-seated disagreements between the parties on others.

The issue of imperial succession concerns an important national institution defined by the constitution. The ruling camp should not push through its proposals based on figures without achieving a broad public consensus.

The report that the cabinet’s expert panel published on this at the end of 2021 serves as the basis for the discussions.

The report warned of the possibility that the imperial family tree could wither away after the generation of Prince Hisahito, Emperor Naruhito’s 17-year-old nephew and the only young male member of the imperial family, who is second in line to the throne. after his father, Crown Prince Fumihito, Naruhito’s younger brother.

The report suggested two proposals. Female members of the Imperial Household would be allowed to retain their status regardless of marriage. The other would allow men from former branches of the Imperial Family to regain their Imperial status through adoption, a measure not currently allowed.

Asahi Shimbun editorials have criticized the panel’s proposals, arguing that they betray a fixation on the idea that only men of patrilineal descent should succeed to the throne and that they are unlikely to be widely understood or accepted by the audience.

The same can be said for the opinions published by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and some opposition blocs, which find the report ‘reasonable’.

Regarding the first proposal, even if female members of the family are allowed to retain their imperial status after marriage, their husbands or children are not allowed to join the imperial family.

Proponents of the proposal argue that this rule should ensure that they retain their rights and obligations as ordinary citizens. But this is clearly intended to undermine the proposal to have a male child from the female line of the Imperial family succeed to the throne.

On the other hand, male children of newly adopted imperial relatives would receive imperial inheritance taxes under the adoption approach.

However, these ideas are not in line with public sentiment.

A 2019 poll conducted by mail by The Asahi Shimbun found that 74 percent of respondents expressed support for allowing maternal line emperors, significantly outweighing the 21 percent who favor retaining the succession system of the male line.

A recent postal survey by Kyodo News yielded similar results.

Changing the current succession order for Crown Prince Fumihito and Prince Hisahito is not feasible. However, it is highly questionable whether strict adherence to male succession after Hisahito will represent the ‘will of the people’.

Asahi editorials have long expressed doubts about the second proposal, which would return individuals who have lived as private citizens for more than seventy years to the imperial family. Even if this idea were adopted, it would not remove the intense pressure to produce male heirs that put pressure on imperial relatives.

The idea of ​​maintaining bloodlines through male offspring under monogamy has its limits, as history teaches us.

Despite the LDP’s slogan: “The imperial family is the foundation of the nation,” it seems doubtful whether the ruling party is seriously considering the sustainability of the system.

Both proposals would have a significant impact on the life planning of the Imperial Family and the individuals involved. It is also necessary to ensure that there are no coercive measures regarding the departure, retention or adoption of the Imperial Register.

The symbolic emperor system can only exist with the support of the people in whom sovereign power rests. Discussions must take place based on this fundamental principle.

–The Asahi Shimbun, May 7