Proposed Amendment to the Imperial House Law Gains Broad Consensus, Aiming for July Passage

TOKYO (CNA) — The presiding officers of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors reached a broad agreement today on a draft amendment to the Imperial House Law. The proposed outline introduces transitional measures allowing existing female members of the Imperial Family to choose whether to retain their status upon marriage.

According to Kyodo News, the two primary pillars of the reform involve revising the Imperial House Law directly rather than enacting special legislation. These include allowing female members to retain their status after marriage and permitting male descendants from the 11 former imperial branch families—who lost their imperial status in 1947—to be adopted into the Imperial Family. These adoptees must be at least 15 years old and will not be granted rights to the imperial succession. The proposal also includes a provision for a review every 30 years to assess the size of the Imperial Family.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara submitted the outline to the parliamentary leadership today. House Speaker Eisuke Mori stated that the content reflects a consensus among the legislative branches. While the draft addresses status, it leaves the specific treatment of spouses and children of female members undefined. The government plans to finalize the bill for Cabinet approval in late June, aiming for passage before the current parliamentary session concludes on July 17.