6d ago

Princess Aiko's popularity sparks calls to change Japan's male-only succession law

Japan’s beloved Princess Aiko is often cheered like a pop star.

During a visit to Nagasaki with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, the sound of her name being screamed by well-wishers along the roads overwhelmed the cheers for her parents.

As she turns 24 on Monday, her supporters want to change Japan’s male-only succession law, which prohibits Aiko, the emperor’s only child, from becoming monarch.

Along with frustration that the discussion on succession rules has stalled, there’s a sense of urgency. Japan’s shrinking monarchy is on the brink of extinction. Naruhito’s teenage nephew is the only eligible heir from the younger generation.

40 comments

Crazy to think this family started WW2 with the Nazis and here we are talking about how she should be able to be empress.
- The Japanese Imperial family is still in power because the US found them a useful tool for controlling the Japanese population after the war. Also she is not responsible for the sins/crimes of her grandfather.
  If the Japanese people wish to idolize her and make her the Empress who are we to deny their wishes?
  
  Agreed on her not being responsible for the sins of her grandfather, but it's kinda fucked up that her grandfather was allowed to keep ruling after WWII, rather than being replaced by a family member or something.
  
  Yea let’s just do the exact same thing again. Surely the outcome will be different this time! Let’s gamble hundreds of millions of lives on it!
This feels so backwards.
- It’s always japan. They rushed everything except culture in the race
- Well a monarchy is backwards and women not being allowed to become monarch is also backwards... So then we're looking forward, right?
  
  If she chooses to abolish the monarchy? totally.
  If not, this just seems like royalty PR campaign.
Abolish all monarchies!
- Whilst I agree in principle (since hereditary monarchies are inherently anti-meritocratic), there is actually a strong argument for constitutional and apolitical figurehead monarchs (i.e mostly powerless). They serve as something of an antidote to cults of personality and can also act as a uniting force in times of crisis.
  
  I almost could agree in principle that's how it might work, but as a person living in a monarchy (UK), they literally just protect their own and the establishment, every time. The status quo isn't apolitical but deeply conservative.
  
  They also print money from tourism. That usually the real reason to keep them around.
  
  There are better ways to counter a cult of personality than a cult of divine providence.
Japanese conservative monarchists are wild.
Look up the Google Maps reviews of the imperial palace. For some context, the majority of the imperial palace is completely off limits to the general public (in stark contrast to most developed countries), and the royal family does a new years greeting.
The reviews are monarchists unironically saying things like that they travelled for days, lined up for hours, caught a glimpse of one of the royal family, were temporarily transported to heaven, and will dedicate their lives hoping for the forever prosperity of the royal family.
- So they're like maga
- And that is the mechanism the major religions exploit. Or monarchies. Or both.
- I guess they missed the memo on how their monarchs aren't actually divine, or maybe they really, really, REALLY want to keep that tradition alive. Could be both, too, or other reasons.
- were temporarily transported to heaven
  Makes sense, the japanese monarchy is one of the few that still claims divinity and Shintoism still says they should be venerated.
Aiko has gained admirers since debuting as an adult royal in 2021, when she impressed the public as intelligent, friendly, caring and funny.
Oh yeah? The Spanish princess is learning to fly fighter jets:
- Live action Porco Rosso is looking rather different
- IMHO monarchs should lead their troops into battle, as should presidents and PMs. Actually you know what let's put the whole legislature on the front lines too.
TIL that Japan has royal family.
- And their dinasty at least dates back to the 6th century
  
  Well.... 6th century BC... maybe, depending on how much you trust the sometimes sketchy historical accounts.
- It was the one term of their surrender.
I personally don't care either way about the Japanese monarchy. The reality is that the monarchy today is purely symbolic and it's only kept because the Japanese people want it to be there. Japanese culture is very big on traditions like this and I highly doubt that any attempts to change the line of succession is going to happen. Like with many things in Japan, there's probably more interest in changing the line of succession outside of Japan than there is inside of it.
These monarchists enjoy hurting themselves all day, can't relate.

40 comments