Advisory Panel Discusses Imperial Succession: Movements Now in Progress in 2021




(Supplemented on June 2 and 8)

 Japanese government set up the advisory panel on securing a stable line of imperial succession and appointed its members early this year. It was proposed in 2017 to study the problem of imperial succession quickly after the enthronement of the present emperor, so PM Suga did his homework.

The cabinet's web page on the advisory panel is here


The panel’s first meeting was held on March 24th, as described in this article by The Mainichi Shimbun:

“Japan gov't panel kicks off discussion on imperial succession: The Mainichi Shimbun”

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles...0m/0na/024000c

Quote:

The Japanese government's advisory panel on securing a stable line of imperial succession held its first meeting on Tuesday, with discussions over the coming months set to focus on whether the country should break with tradition and allow female members of the emperor's family to ascend the throne.
The six-member panel will hear from experts in various fields and is aiming to reach a conclusion by this fall, at which point it will present its findings to parliament.
[…]

 

The Japanese public is increasingly in favor of allowing a woman to ascend the throne, with 85 percent of respondents in a Kyodo News poll conducted last spring supporting the move.
But conservatives in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are reluctant to make significant changes to rules on imperial succession.
[…]

The advisory panel is made up by relatively neutral member as far as I see, and it will summarize the issues by the end of this year after interviewing experts on imperial matter such as scholars and journalist.
The problem is what experts of standpoints are invited for hearing. If they were all who stick around male emperors of paternal lineage, then the door to birth of female emperor will be eternally closed…

The advisory panel is held at random times, and hearing to experts was implemented for two times until now.
Here is an article on the first round hearing:
“Hearing about “Female Monarchy” and “An Emperor of Maternal Lineage” Implemented: Advisory Panel on Securing a Stable Line of Imperial Succession”

https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/20210408-OYT1T50372/

 

Quote:

[…]
5 experts were invited on that day including Mr.Katsumi Iwai, journalist, Mr.Hidehiko Kasahara, Professor of Keio Univ., Miss Yoshiko Sakurai, journalist,Mr. Hitoshi Nitta, Professor of Kogakukan Univ., and Mr.Shuji Yagi, Professor of Reitaku Univ.
[…]
The experts’ opinions were divided over how the throne should be succeeded and the range of the imperial family member.
On foundation of female monarchies, which is one of focus of the panel, Mr.Kasahara expressed his idea of acceptation, while negative comments were posed. Ms.Sakurai and Mr.Yagi offered a dissenting view against the idea of emperor of maternal lineage which has no precedent in the past. Ms.Sakurai said restoration of imperial status to the so-called former Imperial Family members who seceded from the Family after WWII through adoption should be a possible way to maintain the succession by males of male lineage.

Full text of the 1st hearing is here:

https://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/tai...2/gijiroku.pdf


From my viewpoint, the “experts” invited on that day were all conservative or right-wing and not favor for the idea of “female emperor”.

The 2nd hearing was done on April 21th.
“Problems of Securing Stable Imperial Succession Discussed: Advisory Panel of Government” by NHK News

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/202...989361000.html

In short, on the 2nd hearing, one expert said “Women of paternal lineage should be allowed to ascend the throne while the present Imperial Household Law restricts it for men of paternal lineage.”
Another expert said “Both female emperor and emperor of maternal lineage have no problem according to the constitution. It is most simple and reasonable to recognize female emperor and emperor of maternal lineage.”
So, this time the experts invited were relatively progressive.


The 3rd panel meeting for hearing was held today on May 10th.　

"Opinions Heard from Legal Experts: Imperial Succession Panel" by NHK News

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20210510/k10013022881000.html

There, one expert was favor for the idea of female emperor of male lineage, and another expert said that both female emperor and emperor of female lineage isn't excluded by the regulation of constitution, when other two were against that idea.

"The hereditary principle regulated by the constitution has been interpreted as male line succession. Thus, easy launch to succession by female lineage is not allowed, being suspected of violation of the constitution." Mr.Akira Momochi, non-tenured professor of Kokushikan Univ., who is famous right-wing scholar said.


At the 4th hearing held on May 31, four people, including experts on foreign royal families and history, expressed their opinions, all of whom approved of a female emperor, and three of whom expressed a positive attitude toward an emperor of female lineage. (For more information, see this article.)


At the last hearing held on August 7, all four experts, including a novelist, were cautious about a female emperor and expressed positive opinions about the return of the former imperial family.

Government officials also told the media that they have no plans to change the current order of succession to the throne.(For more information, see this article.)


Ah, it's over...



In making up this article, I found that there are very limited number of articles that report this topic written in English.
Is it a conspiracy to hide the fact that Japanese government is going to stop introducing the idea of female emperor, being afraid of criticism from overseas? It is a joke, of course.

So I feel it is my duty to share these news report here...

 

 

場所: 日本

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