Japan parties discuss reforms to maintain imperial family size

More than a dozen political parties from Japan’s lower and upper houses met Wednesday to discuss ways to maintain the number of imperial family members, the first such talks since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office last October, Kyodo News reported.

The government plans to compile parliament’s views on possible amendments to the 1947 Imperial House Law, which defines the status of the imperial family and governs succession.

Discussions are centered on two main proposals aimed at ensuring stable succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne amid concerns over the shrinking size of the imperial family.

All 13 parties and groups are expected to present their positions on allowing female members who marry commoners to retain their imperial status and permitting male heirs from former branches to be adopted into the family.

The previous round of talks on the issue was held in April last year.

There are currently only three heirs to 66-year-old Emperor Naruhito: his younger brother Crown Prince Fumihito, 60; his nephew Prince Hisahito, 19; and his uncle Prince Hitachi, 90.

Prince Hisahito is the only unmarried male in the imperial family. Under current law, succession is limited to males with an emperor in their paternal line, and female members must leave the family upon marrying a commoner.

Japan’s hereditary monarchy is traditionally said to date back more than 2,600 years.