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Article 1 of Japan’s Imperial House Law states clearly that only a male from the male imperial lineage can inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne. This excludes the daughters of male emperors from becoming emperor themselves. Furthermore, even if women were allowed to become emperor, the emphasis on the “male imperial lineage,” or patrilineal succession, would preclude any children of female emperors also from ascending to the throne. This law prevents the child of the current emperor, Princess Aiko, from becoming emperor. Despite around 80% of the Japanese public supporting this policy change, resistance remains among some conservatives. In particular, there are concerns that if Princess Aiko were allowed to become emperor on the basis of inheriting the “male” bloodline from her father, this might pave the way for matrilineal succession to also be embraced if Aiko’s first-born child is also a girl. Many Japanese citizens feel that the position of the emperor having been passed down the generations based on male lineal succession, “unbroken for ages eternal,” is based on an ancient tradition and therefore something Japanese should take great pride in. But Takamori Akinori, a Shintō scholar and imperial household expert, wonders whether patrilineal succession really was the historical norm in Japan. Female Transmission of the Imperial Bloodline Takamori is also an opinion leader of a movement focused on making Princess Aiko the emperor in the future. Along with the manga artist Kobayashi Yoshinori, he spoke at the July public event, “Making Aiko the Imperial Heir.” Takamori sets the scene by sharing his view: “Mythology is more than a set of stories. Rather, it reflects the values of ancient peoples. What makes Japan stand out from other countries in this sense is the existence of a female supreme deity rather than a male one.” That deity is Amaterasu Ōmikami—the Sun Goddess, the ruler of the heavenly realm, and the source of Japan’s imperial tradition. The Kojiki (trans. Records of Ancient Matters) and other ancient texts also frequently refer to women as the founders of various ancestral clans in addition to Japan’s imperial family. Takamori believes that this shows “ancient Japan was not originally a patriarchal society. Women not only played an important role in transmitting the imperial lineage but held relatively high positions of influence in society as well.” Takamori Akinori, speaks at the “Making Aiko the Imperial Heir” public event, in Tokyo in July 2023. (Courtesy of the event organizers) In terms of historical record, we know of the existence of eight female emperors. The first was Suiko, who reigned in 592–628 CE, at the start of Japan’s historically significant Asuka period. There were also female emperors during the Edo period (1603–1868). Takamori notes that, when looking at the rest of East Asia, this is a rare occurrence. China’s first female emperor was also its last; Wu Zetian officially ruled China for 15 years during an interregnum of the Tang Dynasty (690–705 CE). Three queens ruled the Silla Kingdom (57 BCE to 935 CE) that dominated most of the Korean Peninsula at its height, the last being in 897 CE. Comparatively speaking, “Japan historically was not a country that went out of its way to preclude females from becoming the emperor.” Takamori also emphasizes the importance of consanguineous marriages between blood relatives in Japan’s imperial lineage. This effectively meant that emperors often inherited the throne based on both paternal and maternal bloodlines, or “dual lineage.” It was also not automatically the case that the male lineage was given greater precedence in succession discussions. If the maternal line allowed a closer connection to the main branch of the imperial line, then matrilineal succession could be used to legitimate an imperial heir. The Foreign Origins of Imperial “Male Chauvinism”