Japan Aims to Reach Agreement on Securing Imperial Family Members During Current Diet Session

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:25 JST, February 1, 2025

Representatives of ruling and opposition parties agreed Friday to reach a consensus during the current Diet session on how to secure a sufficient number of Imperial family members.

Leaders and vice leaders of both chambers of the Diet, as well as representatives of parties and parliamentary groups, came to the agreement at a meeting on how to ensure a stable succession to the throne.

However, their opinions were divided, and discussions are expected to be difficult.

“I will work hard to reach a consensus in the legislature,” said House of Representatives Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga. “We will make efforts so that we will come to a conclusion during the ordinary Diet session.”

Members agreed to hold multiple general meetings with representatives of individual parties and parliamentary groups in February and March.

They plan to hold discussions focusing on two topics: whether to grant Imperial status to husbands and children of female members of the Imperial family; and whether to have male children from the male line of former Imperial family branches return to the family by being adopted by current members.

They also confirmed that the meetings’ minutes will be posted on a relevant website without delay.

Ruling and opposition parties have continued discussing two proposals: whether to have female members of the Imperial family retain their Imperial status after marriage; and whether to have male children from the male line of former Imperial family branches return to the family through adoption.

Parties and parliamentary groups have generally agreed on the first proposal, but there are differences in opinions on whether the female members’ husbands and children should be considered members of the Imperial family. As a result, members are expected to further discuss the issue.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is opposed to granting Imperial status to the spouses and children of female Imperial family members, arguing that if the children of female members were to succeed the throne in the future, they would be emperors from the female line.

On the other hand, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is positive about the proposal.

Regarding the second proposal, while the LDP is positive about it, the CDPJ argues that the intentions of those in the former Imperial family branches need to be first confirmed.

The ruling and opposition parties began discussions in May last year after then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida submitted a report by a government advisory panel to the Diet. They aimed to reach a consensus during the ordinary Diet session last year but failed to do so.

Parties and parliamentary groups generally all understand that securing enough Imperial family members is an urgent issue.

“We cannot put off [how to resolve the issue] any longer,” said CDPJ head Yoshihiko Noda.

Therefore, attention will be focused on whether they will be able to reach an agreement.

“The conflict due to differences in opinions does not reflect the public’s collective will,” Nukaga said. “It will be important to respond to the responsibility entrusted by the public with the determination to take responsibility for the future.”