A popular cartoonist who has written books on history and monarchy has sued the government over a revised imperial succession law allowing royals to adopt male relatives from former branch families to father future heirs.
The revised law took effect Saturday despite criticism over the male-only succession rules in Japan’s 1,500-year-old monarchy. Next in line after Emperor Naruhito is his younger brother Akishino, followed by the emperor’s 20-year-old nephew, Prince Hisahito. There are no other eligible heirs in his generation.
The revised law allows the adoption of unmarried male descendants, aged 15 or older, of distant imperial relatives, but only through an unbroken male line, into a branch of the royal family. They would not be able to inherit the throne themselves, but their heirs would be eligible.
Four of the 11 former branch families who renounced their royal status in 1947 remain. Officials say they are at least 36 generations removed from Naruhito after splitting from a common male-line ancestor 600 years ago. Critics say they are too distant to be considered relatives.
In his lawsuit, Yoshinori Kobayashi (pic) says the adoption of former royals, who are commoners, discriminates against other commoners in violation of Article 14 of the constitution, which guarantees equality regardless of “race, creed, sex, social status or family origin”.
“The adoption would introduce a new class system of ‘former imperial branch family’ in Japan.... It’s a serious problem,” Kobayashi told reporters after filing the lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court, a first legal step against the revised law. No trial date has been set. — AP
