Japan’s Emperor Naruhito admitted his family is running out of heirs amid an ongoing crisis for the monarchy.
Japan’s strict succession laws prohibit women from ascending the Chrysanthemum Throne and force them to renounce their titles if they marry commoners.
Meanwhile, many members of the royal family are aging: eight members are over 60, while only four family members are men.
Speaking ahead of a state visit to Britain next week with his wife, Empress Masako, Emperor Naruhito, 64, made a rare comment about the crisis facing the imperial house.
He said on Wednesday: “The number of male members of the imperial family is decreasing, they are aging, and female members of the imperial family are leaving the imperial family upon marriage.”
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito admitted his family is running out of heirs amid an ongoing crisis for the monarchy.
If the marriage was to a prince, they could remain within the family; The problem is that there are no male royals to marry.
“Due to these factors, the number of members of the imperial family who can take on public functions is decreasing compared to before,” he continued.
“This is an issue that relates to the future of the imperial family, but I would like to refrain from commenting on issues related to the (legal) system.”
His comments offer a rare insight into the royal dynasty, as emperors have avoided discussing issues of political importance since Japan’s defeat in World War II.
The reduced status of the Japanese monarchy is partly due to the rules of male primogeniture, which means that only male members of the royal family can succeed to the throne.
Only four of the 16 members of Naruhito’s family are men, following the abdication of Emperor Emeritus Akihito in 2019.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako share only one child, Princess Aiko, who was born in 2001 after fertility treatment. However, she cannot take the country’s throne.
This means that the heir to the throne is Naruhito’s younger brother, Crown Prince Fumihito, 58.
His son, Prince Hisahito, 17, and Naruhito’s uncle, Prince Hitachi, 88, are the only other male figures in the dynasty.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako share only one daughter, Princess Aiko, but she is not allowed to rule.
The heir to the throne is Crown Prince Fumihito, the emperor’s brother and one of only four male royals.
Royal women are forced to give up their status if they marry a commoner. In the photo: Princess Mako and her husband Kei Komuro at a press conference to announce her marriage in 2021.
Fumihito shares a daughter, Princess Kako, 29, with his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, 57, but she is also not allowed to inherit the throne.
Fumihito also has two other sons: Prince Hisahito of Akishino, 17, and Mako Komuro, 32, who renounced her title after marrying her husband Kei Komuro.
The country’s strict succession laws prohibit women from ascending the Chrysanthemum Throne and force them to renounce their titles if they marry commoners, as seen most recently at Princess Mako’s wedding.
However, according to a recent poll, 90 percent of the public supports a change in the law to allow women to ascend the throne.
Conservative members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party oppose the changes and have not yet been named.
Furthermore, the Japanese monarchy is aging: eight of them are over 60 years old. For example, Princess Yuriko celebrated her 101st birthday two weeks ago.
This means that royal duties are spread thinly among the dwindling number of working royals.
In Japan, these include hosting dignitaries, participating in Shinto ceremonies, and visiting schools and hospitals.
Japan’s crisis is partly due to the aging royals. In the photo appears the Emperor’s uncle, Prince Hitachi, 88 years old.
Meanwhile, Princess Yuriko, wife of the late Prince Mikasa, celebrated her 101st birthday last week.
Last month, Japanese politicians debated solutions to resolve the crisis, which did not include allowing women to govern.
Instead, options included allowing princesses to remain in the royal family after marriage and bringing descendants of former cadet branches, who lost their royal status after World War II, back into the fold.
This would still not increase the number of heirs, as the LDP insists that princesses’ children should not be allowed to rule.
Princess Mako is the latest example of royal women leaving royal life to marry.
In October 2021, she renounced her royal title to marry her commoner boyfriend, in a move that deeply divided public opinion.
Mako, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and niece of Emperor Naruhito, married her college sweetheart Kei Komuro, a commoner, in Tokyo after an eight-year engagement.
The low-key ceremony was met with protests and was held behind closed doors, without the pomp and pageantry of other Japanese royal weddings, which traditionally include a reception and banquet.
The decision drew comparisons with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who also turned their backs on royal duties to live privately in the United States.
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose during a New Year’s family photo session at the Imperial Palace in December 2023.
Japanese Crown Prince Akishino (right), Crown Princess Kiko (center) and Princess Kako (left)
Princess Mako was forced to give up royal life in 2021 when she married Kei Komuro
In November last year, Emperor Naruhito called for a review of official duties because members leave due to age or marry a commoner, according to the Japan Times.
“It would be difficult to hand over (official duties) if the number (of imperial family members) decreases,” the crown prince told reporters in Tokyo.
The royals expressed their grief for those who lost their lives in the magnitude 7.6 disaster on New Year’s Day, which killed 241 people and forced more than 12,000 to flee their homes.
“I would like to once again express my condolences to those who lost their lives in the Noto Peninsula earthquake last month and convey my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and those affected by the disaster,” he said.
“I wish you all a peaceful spring.”
In February, Emperor Naruhito used his 64th birthday speech to deliver a moving speech to the victims of the New Year’s Day earthquake.
Naruhito appeared solemn during the speech, wearing a black jacket and white shirt and tie for the occasion.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the Japanese state visit to the UK next week will not include the traditional trip to Downing Street to see the Prime Minister, as it coincides with the general election campaign.
However, Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are still expected to attend the formal banquet at Buckingham Palace, despite having a television debate the following night.
Meanwhile, the British royal family has postponed any engagements that could “appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign.” Other commitments are still allowed to take place.