Empress Masako

Japan’s parliament is set to pass a law reinforcing male-only succession for the imperial throne, excluding Emperor Naruhito’s daughter, Princess Aiko, from the line of succession. The law aims to preserve the male bloodline by allowing distant male relatives to be adopted and permitting princesses to retain royal status if married to commoners. Critics argue the law perpetuates patriarchal norms and discrimination, as the imperial family shrinks with only five men among 16 adults.

Japan's imperial family faces a succession crisis due to a lack of male heirs, sparking national debate over preserving its 2,600-year-old hereditary lineage. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako's European trip highlighted monarchies in the Netherlands and Belgium with women in line for the throne.