Japan’s monarchy is facing a succession crisis with only three eligible heirs to the Chrysanthemum throne. The imperial family has for centuries maintained male-only succession, which is now threatening the survival of the world’s oldest monarchy.

Government Proposal

The government has proposed reinstating former branches of the royal family to expand the pool of male successors. The changes are awaiting parliamentary approval. However, scholars, opposition politicians, and some citizens are wondering why women are not allowed to take the throne.

Professor Makoto Okawa, who studies imperial lineage at Chuo University in Tokyo, said, “It is difficult to find any rational basis for refusing to allow a woman to become emperor.” Japan previously had eight empresses, mostly when the male heirs were too young to rule, until the Imperial House Law was enacted in 1889.

Tradition and Stability

Some argue that the tradition of male-only succession should be maintained to ensure the stability of the monarchy. Tsuneyasu Takeda, a descendant of a former collateral imperial branch, said, “Tradition should not be overturned by a popularity contest.” However, others argue that the exclusion of women from the throne is a form of misogyny and that the monarchy should adapt to modern times.

The imperial family’s centrality to the nation is such that the US army general Douglas MacArthur, overseeing Japan’s development immediately after World War II, described the emperor as “a symbol which unites all Japanese,” according to the US State Department’s Office of the Historian.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.