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The Japanese succession controversy refers to desires to change the laws of succession to the Japanese Throne, which is currently limited to males of the Japanese Imperial Family. == Overview == Traditionally, the imperial throne was passed on under custom which resembled the rule of agnatic seniority. Theoretically, any male or female with patrilineal lineage to early Japanese monarchs, who descended in direct male line from the first emperor, Jimmu, could come to hold the Chrysanthemum throne. In practice, preference was given to first-born male offspring of a preceding male monarch, followed by his brothers, sons and other males of the immediate male-line family; and ultimately followed by representatives of Shinnoke houses, in other words, male-line relatives, occasionally very distant male cousins. Because there existed no restrictions on remarriage or polygyny in historical Japan, there existed usually a plenitude of male relatives who could take over the throne. However, there are several historical instances of women holding the throne. An empress's offspring does not have claim to the throne from the said maternal lineage, so assigning a female to the throne had the convenient effect of postponing succession disputes. On other occasions, the direct male heir was yet a toddler and unable to perform imperial rituals. In such instance, his mother, aunt or elder sister, if also held Imperial lineage through her patriline, temporarily took over the throne until the child came to puberty, which was deemed sufficient for a boy's accession. After the Meiji restoration, Japan imported the Prussian model of imperial succession, in which princesses were explicitly excluded from succession. More significantly, as a part of the effort to westernise and modernise Japan, the Japanese government banned polygamy, which was previously allowed to any family with noble rank (samurai or kuge), particularly if the first wife could not produce male offspring. After World War II, a further restriction was instituted. New rules meant that only the closest relatives of the then emperor Hirohito (children and descendants, siblings and their descendants) could be part of the official Imperial family, and have a claim to succession. The current emperor, Akihito, has two sons: Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Akishino; Prince Akishino is the father of the Emperor's only grandson, Prince Hisahito. The Emperor's brother Prince Hitachi has no children. The Emperor's uncle Prince Mikasa has no male-line grandsons. Controversy exists as to what extent the current rule of succession under ''the Imperial Household Law of 1947'' should be changed. Those on the Right advocate a change, holding the Prussian-style agnatic primogeniture, but bringing back the previously excluded male relatives into the Imperial household. Liberals would advocate the adoption of absolute primogeniture. Moderates would advocate re-adoption of earlier, indigenous customs of succession, that is, that a female can succeed to the throne as long as she holds precedence in seniority or proximity within the patrilineal kinship. The late Princess Takamatsu, the last surviving Arisugawa-Takamatsu and aunt to the current Emperor, advocated the traditional, customary rights of female princesses to succession, in her media interviews and articles, after the birth of princess Aiko. Adoption of absolute primogeniture would permit, as has happened in history, unmarried or widowed female descendants in the male line of the Imperial House to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne, but would also allow something unprecedented: it would allow married princesses and princesses' children whose fathers are not descendants in the male line of the earlier emperors, to ascend the throne. This scenario would mean that a new dynasty would take over the Chrysanthemum Throne. In Japan, as with much of the rest of the world, dynasties are defined patrilineally, although since most European royals do not need surnames for everyday use, female royals do not take the surname of their spouse; therefore they would not need a new dynasty unless they choose to. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Japanese succession controversy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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