A conservative group within the ruling party submitted a proposal to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday to allow men from now-abolished collateral branches of the imperial family to rejoin it, as part of measures to ensure stable succession.
With heirs to the chrysanthemum throne limited to three at present under the law stipulating only males on the paternal side of the family can ascend to the throne, the Liberal Democratic Party group called for enabling unmarried male members of the former branches to join the imperial family through adoption or marriage, if they want to.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.