Japan approves plan to let female royals keep imperial status after marriage

The Japanese government approved a proposal that would allow women born into the Imperial Family to retain their royal status after marrying commoners. The measure seeks to stabilise the shrinking pool of active royals without altering the 1947 Imperial House Law, which restricts succession to male descendants in the paternal line.

The change comes amid a lively debate. Liberal Democratic Party veteran Hirofumi Nakasone warned that Princess Aiko could not become empress under current law and that a female monarch would face pressure to produce a male heir. While public polls show strong support for a female successor, conservatives remain cautious about revising the succession rules.