Koizumi set to pave way for female emperor
After 10 months of debate, a government panel Thursday submitted recommendations on imperial succession that will break a male-lineage tradition dating back to mythical times and could create such a divisive debate that Emperor Akihito is reportedly concerned.
The panel's report, submitted to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, proposed that females and their descendants should be allowed to ascend the Chrysanthemum throne.
The panel, set up to discuss the succession crisis because no boy has been born to the imperial family for nearly 40 years, said changes are necessary to maintain stability in imperial succession. "I think it is a very meaningful report," Koizumi told reporters at his official residence. "I believe that the report was created with the understanding that an imperial system based on hereditary succession depends on a stable succession system.......
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200511240434.html
Panel submits final report proposing allowing female monarchs
A government panel on imperial succession submitted a final report Thursday that proposes allowing females and their descendants to ascend Japan's imperial throne that would pave the way for 3-year-old Princess Aiko to eventually become Japan's first female monarch since the 18th century.
The report, submitted to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, said the emperor's firstborn child, regardless of sex, should be next in line to the throne -- a proposal intended to avoid an expected succession crisis in the world's oldest hereditary monarchy.
"To reach one conclusion here has an aspect of opening a new page in our nation's history, and I feel a heavy responsibility," Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, head of the panel, said after its last meeting at a news conference. Koizumi reiterated that the government will prepare to submit a bill to revise the Imperial House Law during a regular Diet session next year. The law, enacted in 1947, allows only male heirs who have emperors on their father's side to reign.....
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/051124/kyodo/d8e2qmho0.html
Experts' views on succession vary
The following are comments from three scholars on the proposal for Imperial succession compiled by a government panel. The three offered the panel their views on the matter.......
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20051123TDY03003.htm
Blue ribbon panel paves way for Empress
A panel on Imperial succession was set Thursday to formally recommend that women and their children be allowed to ascend the ancient Chrysanthemum Throne -- saving Japan's male heir-deprived Imperial Family from a succession crisis......
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20051124p2a00m0na025000c.html
Panel offers solution to succession issue
A government panel on Imperial succession submitted to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday its final report, which proposes major changes.
The report calls for females and their descendants also to be allowed to ascend the throne, and the emperor's firstborn child, regardless of sex, given priority in the order of succession. As female members of the Imperial household would gain the right of succession, they would retain their status even after marriage to commoners.
The Imperial House Law says only male heirs who have emperors on their father's side may reign.......
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/editorial/20051125TDY04004.htm
Female monarch ignites debate
The proposal of a government panel on imperial succession to allow females and their descendants to ascend the imperial throne has ignited debate in Japan about a possible "historical change" in the world's oldest hereditary monarchy.
Based on the
proposal, the government plans to submit a bill to the Diet in the spring to revise the Imperial House Law, enacted in 1947, which allows only male descendents who have emperors on their father's side to ascend the throne, a government official said.
No male imperial family members have been born since Prince Akishino in 1965. The prince is second in line to the throne after his older brother, Crown Prince Naruhito.
But there still seems to be more hurdles to cross before a "stable succession" can be assured as traditionalists and conservatives who are strongly oppose the change have been aggressively trying to sway public opinion on the matter, even though media polls indicate that there is broad public support for letting a woman sit on the throne.....
http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=comment&id=868
Female monarchs get green light
Move clears way for Aiko to become reigning empress
A government panel on Imperial succession concluded Thursday that females and their descendants should be allowed to ascend to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
The move paves the way for 3-year-old Princess Aiko, the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, to become Japan's first female monarch since the 18th century.
The panel's final report on the matter, submitted to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, said the Emperor's firstborn child, regardless of gender, should be next in line to the throne.
"To reach a conclusion here has the aspect of opening a new page in our nation's history, and I feel a heavy responsibility," Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, head of the panel, told a news conference. The proposal is designed to forestall an expected succession crisis in the world's oldest hereditary monarchy.
"We have considered (the issue) from the recognition that it is most important that the Emperor system, which has continued from ancient times in hereditary succession, be stably maintained in the future and that is many people's hope," the report says.
Accordingly, the government plans to submit a bill to revise the current Imperial House Law to the Diet next spring, a government official said.
The law, enacted in 1947, allows only male heirs who have emperors on their father's side to reign. The 10-member panel started debating the issue in January; no male heir has been born to the royal family since 1965 and it is thought that Crown Princess Masako, a 41-year-old former diplomat, is suffering from stress due to pressure to bear a male heir......
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20051125a1.htm
Empress role moves closer for Japan's little princess
JAPAN took a step yesterday towards clearing the path for three-year-old Princess Aiko to become its first reigning empress in centuries.
A panel of experts recommended to the prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, that the law be amended to give women the same rights as men to inherit the throne, allowing the eldest child to inherit regardless of gender......
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=2299442005
#1: JIJI press- Hiroyuki Yoshikawa (head of the panel) submitting the report to Koizumi
#2: ANN news
#3: FNN news
#4: (newscom)-Hiroyuki Yoshikawa (L), head of a government panel on imperial succession, on Nov. 24 hands in a final report to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, which proposes allowing females and their descendants to ascend Japan's imperial throne, a step that would pave the way for 3-year-old Princess Aiko, the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako, to eventually become Japan's first female monarch since the 18th century.
