A recurring hot debate in Japan for most of the Reiwa Era has been around the Emperor.
As we’ve written before, Japan has had eight empresses during its history. The Meiji Era, however, saw a number of misogynistic laws that shut women out of public life, robbing them of the right to own property, the right to participate in politics, and even the right to keep their last names.
Women were also shut out from the imperial line of succession. Since the Meiji Era, the position of Emperor can only be passed down through patriarchal lineage.
That’s becoming a big problem. Crown Prince Fumihito has one son, Prince Hisahito. And that’s it for male imperial heirs. Among the six children potentially in the imperial line of succession, five are women. That means there are currently only two men in the imperial line of succession (Fumihito and his son). In other words, if Hisahito doesn’t get married and have sons, the patriarchal line of succession could wither and die.
"Noah [at Unseen Japan] put together an itinerary that didn’t lock us in and we could travel at our own pace. In Tokyo, he guided us personally on a walking tour. Overall, he made our Japan trip an experience not to forget." - Kate and Simon S., Australia
That’s stirred debate over whether the country should change the Imperial Household Law to remove this antiquated restriction. For years, a majority of the Japanese public has favored this move. The first woman who would be in the line of succession, Princess Aiko, is much loved. (Which is fitting, given that love – 愛 – is literally in her name.) For years, polls have shown strong support for Aiko-sama eventually becoming the country’s figurehead.
But then Japan elected its first female Prime Minister. Ironically, this seems like it’ll doom the country’s chances of having an empress anytime soon.
Takaichi: Matriarchal succession “has never happened”
PM Takaichi Sanae’s government is currently looking at reforming the Imperial Household Law to address the potential succession crisis. Up until last year, polling has shown a large percentage of the public in favor of revising the law to allow for an empress. A poll in December 2025 by Yomiuri Shimbun showed 69% of people in favor of a female emperor. Only 7% said they opposed it.
However, during a meeting of the Lower House Budget Committee on February 27th, 2026, Takaichi dumped ice water over that idea.
