Japan's Imperial Household Law Reform Targets Female Royals' Status and Former Princes' Adoption

The government is preparing a revision of Japan’s Imperial Household Law ahead of the Diet’s mid‑July deadline. Two core proposals have emerged: allowing women who marry to retain their imperial status, and permitting male descendants of former princely houses to be adopted into the imperial family. A June 10 meeting of party leaders produced a “legislative consensus” that was conveyed to Prime Minister Naito, and the draft will be presented to the upper and lower house chairs for discussion.

Former princely‑house member Kunihiro Kuni (81) told JNN that, at his age, adoption is no longer realistic for him, but he supports a cautious design that could include an education‑test for future adoptees. He also noted that any adoptee would be barred from succession. Meanwhile, former princess Kuroda Kiyoko, now a Shinto shrine priest at Ise, continues to serve publicly, underscoring the broader societal role of the imperial family.

The proposals aim to address the shrinking number of imperial households while preserving tradition, and the government plans to finalize the bill before the current parliamentary session ends.