Japan may allow women to ascend throne (AP) Updated: 2006-01-20 14:13
The Japanese government will submit a bill that would allow women to ascend
Japan's imperial throne, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told Parliament on
Friday.
"In order that the imperial throne be continued into the future in a stable
manner, the government will submit a bill to reform the Imperial Household Law,"
the premier said in a speech at the opening session of Parliament.
Under the 1947 Imperial Household Law, only males who have emperors on their
father's side can assume the throne. However, Japan is facing a succession
crisis with no boy born to the family since the 1960s.
An independent panel in November recommended revising the law to allow the
first-born child of either sex to ascend the Chrysanthemum throne.
The revision, if approved, is expected to make Crown Prince Naruhito and
Crown Princess Masako's only child Aiko — who celebrated her 4th birthday last
month — second in line to the throne, behind her father.
Support for the change is high. A poll last year by the nationwide newspaper
Asahi showed 78 percent of the respondents were in favor of a reigning empress.
Eight empresses have ruled Japan in the last 1,500 years, the most recent
being Gosakuramachi, who reigned from 1762 to 1770.
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