The Japanese government has pushed back against a United Nations recommendation advocating for gender equality in the line of succession. The proposal, issued by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, suggests amending Japan’s Imperial Household Law to allow female members of the imperial family to inherit the throne. However, government officials, citing Japan’s cultural traditions, have expressed strong reservations.
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who initially expressed openness to discussing the issue, has since adopted a more cautious tone—a shift likely influenced by political pressure. Last week, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya called the UN’s suggestion “deeply regrettable,” while Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi emphasized that royal succession is “unrelated to human rights.” The far-right Japan Innovation Party echoed these sentiments, framing the imperial succession as a matter of national heritage.
The UN Committee reviewed Japan’s policies on women’s rights on October 29, urging revisions to the male-only succession rules outlined in the Imperial Household Law. The committee argued that the law conflicts with Japan’s commitments to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which Japan signed in 1985. Tokyo’s response was swift, with its representatives in Geneva protesting that this issue was outside the UN’s purview.
Japan’s Imperial Household Law states explicitly that the throne can only be inherited by male descendants, and female royals lose their status if they marry outside the royal family. This restriction places Crown Prince Fumihito, the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, first in line, followed by his teenage son, Prince Hisahito. Emperor Naruhito’s only child, Princess Aiko, is not eligible under current law.
Public sentiment, however, appears to favor change. A Kyodo News poll in April found that 90% of Japanese respondents support the idea of a female emperor, with half of them indicating that gender should not determine eligibility for the throne. Princess Aiko, known for her modest demeanor, enjoys widespread popularity, starkly contrasting the controversy surrounding Fumihito’s family following former Princess Mako’s marriage to a commoner.
In May, lawmakers revisited discussions on revising succession rules, but opposition within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has made reform unlikely. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that while Prime Minister Kishida had been open to exploring female succession before taking office, he has since pulled back due to resistance from conservative factions within the LDP, all but ensuring that the imperial law will remain unchanged.
