Female Imperial family members should not be allowed to retain their royal status upon marriage, conservative experts told a government panel Tuesday, saying such a system could eventually break the centuries-long paternal lineage of Imperial blood.
Journalist Yoshiko Sakurai and Nihon University law professor Akira Momochi both expressed strong concern over recent discussions to allow Imperial family members to create their own family branches while retaining Imperial status.
Such an idea has been proposed as fears have grown over the future the Imperial family, which has only one male heir, Prince Hisahito.