Japan's government has announced a plan to allow female members of the imperial family to retain their royal status after marrying commoners, according to a report by Kyodo News on July 17, 2026. The move aims to address the shrinking size of the imperial family, but does not include provisions for female succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
Under current law, princesses who marry commoners must leave the imperial family, reducing the number of eligible royals. The new policy, expected to be formalized in legislation, would permit them to stay as honorary members, though they would not gain succession rights. The government has not set a timeline for the bill's introduction.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's administration has faced pressure to ensure stable succession, as only three heirs remain: Crown Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito, and the aging Emperor Emeritus Akihito. The proposal does not alter the male-only succession rule, which critics argue is outdated and gender-discriminatory.
Public opinion polls show majority support for allowing female emperors, but conservative lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party resist change. The government has formed a panel to study succession options, but no consensus has been reached on amending the Imperial Household Law.
The reform is seen as a compromise to preserve the family's numbers without triggering a broader debate on female succession. Princess Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito, would benefit from the change if she marries a commoner, but she remains ineligible for the throne.
