Japan lawmakers back plan to ease imperial succession crisis
<p>Tokyo: Japan's legislature endorsed on Wednesday a proposed framework aimed at easing a looming imperial succession crisis, with just one young heir to the throne currently remaining.</p> <p>The imperial household operates under strict rules that allow only male offsprings from the male side of the family to ascend to the ancient Chrysanthemum Throne.</p> <p>That means that the household's future currently hinges on 19-year-old Prince Hisahito, Emperor Naruhito's nephew and the only young man in the family.</p> <p>Other family members are either women -- who are not allowed to inherit the throne -- or older men, the youngest among them 60-year-old Crown Prince Akishino, who is Naruhito's brother and Hisahito's father.</p> <p>In a bid to expand the thinning line of succession, lawmakers endorsed in principle amending the Imperial Household Law, presenting their initiative to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.</p> <p>The proposals would allow women keep their royal status even after marrying someone outside the family, and let the imperial family adopt male distant relatives.</p> <p>"Given all the differing opinions, we believe we've managed to produce the best possible result," lower house speaker Eisuke Mori told a news conference before presenting the legislature's view to Takaichi.</p> <p>Once her government drafts the amendments, the bill will return to the legislature, with Mori expressing his wish to pass it before the current parliament session ends on July 17.</p> <p>Under the proposal, adopted men would not be heirs but their sons could be placed in line to succeed the throne, Mori said this week.</p> <p>The imperial family now has 16 members in total, including five men -- the 66-year-old emperor and his brother, Prince Hisahito, retired emperor Akihito, who is 92, and his 90-year-old brother.</p> <p>Emperor Naruhito has a daughter, Princess Aiko. The existing male-succession rule means that she would have to leave the family once she marries a commoner.</p> <p>The lawmakers' proposal did not address the possibility of a woman emperor, an idea that has wide public support.</p>
