Japan: Debates Continue over Abdicating Emperor’s Succession
A government-commissioned panel met in Tokyo on October 17 to devise how to move forward with the process of selecting a new emperor to replace Emperor Akihito, Japan’s much-loved head of state for the past 27 years. In Japan, imperial law does not allow abdication, so an emperor has not renounced his role in nearly two centuries. However, this trend changed in August, when Emperor Akihito announced through a televised message to the nation that, “due to his advanced age and the effects he feared it would have on his career,” he intended to step down. This “earth-shattering” move from Emperor Akihito, initially provoked significant opposal from Japanese politici
ans, as it would entail revising the Imperial Household Law of 1947, a statute in Japanese law that governs the line of imperial succession. However, the government now plans to move forward with the abdication process in response to widespread public support for fulfilling the aging emperor’s wishes. Earlier this month, a panel of six experts met to discuss how to move forward with the abdication and to begin a detailed revision of Imperial Law’s rulings regarding succession.
The issue of succession remains extremely sensitive and challenging to resolve. Akihito and his wife Michiko have two sons, Naruhito and his younger brother Akishino, who are the first and second successors of the Chrysanthemum throne. Naruhito, the Crown Prince of Japan, will likely succeed his father; however, the abdication panel could not decide whether or not Naruhito’s daughter could succeed after her father.
Conservatives in the meeting vehemently opposed a possible female successor, as it would end the male succession of emperors that has dated back over 2500 years. If conservative voices win this debate, Princess Aiko Toshi will be blocked from assuming the role of empress, and the role will fall to Akishino’s only son. Following the meeting last week, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he hopes the discussion is carried out thoroughly, as it is “an extremely important issue that affects the basis of our country.”