Politics Japanese parties reach no agreement in imperial succession talks

Discussions in the Diet regarding the future of the imperial family have been effectively put on hold, sources reported on 3 June, as ruling and opposition parties disagreed on whether to grant imperial status to the spouses and children of female family members. The discussions aimed to ensure a stable line of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne but have stalled, with lawmakers concluding that a unified stance within the legislature cannot be reached during the current session, which concludes on 22 June.



While there was agreement that women in the imperial family should be allowed to retain their status after marriage, significant differences remain between the ruling LDP and the main opposition CDP over how the spouses and children of those women should be treated. Behind-the-scenes negotiations have been held among senior figures, including LDP adviser Tarō Asō, CDP President Yoshihiko Noda, and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. A planned meeting on 3 June was cancelled after it became clear that no compromise would be reached.

Noda proposed that the status of spouses and children be determined by the imperial household council, whose members include the prime minister and speaker and deputy speaker of both Diet chambers. However, Aso rejected the proposal, saying a system under which a civilian male can become an imperial family member could lead to acceptance of an emperor who inherited the imperial bloodline from the mother's side of the emperor. The LDP had confirmed its opposition to the proposal at a party meeting in May. An agreement appeared more likely concerning how to deal with the descendants of 11 family branches that lost their imperial status after World War II.

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So 'kicking the can down the road' is a thing in Japan too. The 'men in black suits' are really going to have see sense and allow female succession. There are many precedents in Japanese history, so it wouldn't be unusual.