Japan's Takachi government concludes Diet session with imperial succession amendment and flag law

The 221st National Diet session, convened after the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide win, ended on 25 July after an extended 158‑day term. Prime Minister Sanae Takachi’s administration pushed through a 122‑trillion‑yen budget and a series of bills, most notably an amendment to the Imperial Household Law that prioritises male‑line succession and allows adopted male heirs to inherit the throne. The Diet also enacted a law imposing criminal penalties for damage to the national flag.

Takachi promoted a populist agenda, citing fiscal stimulus and a consumption‑tax cut on food items. Her hard‑line remarks on a potential Taiwan conflict kept tensions with China high. Opposition parties criticised the lack of transparent explanation for the imperial law changes and questioned the credibility of secretaries’ statements submitted to the Diet. Polls showed her cabinet approval dropping from roughly 51 % to the low‑40 % range amid these controversies.