They had a Jimmuh too?
Posted on 11/03/2005 7:41:01 PM PST by blam
Forget empress, let's have concubines, says prince
By Colin Joyce in Tokyo
(Filed: 04/11/2005)
A Japanese prince has shocked the country with an attack on plans to let women ascend the imperial throne.
Prince Tomohito, 59, the emperor's cousin and fifth in line to the throne, became the first member of the imperial family to speak out on the issue when he called on the nation not to abandon tradition.
Under the constitution, the monarchy plays a purely symbolic role and members of the royal family are forbidden from making political statements, even on matters of direct concern to them.
A panel appointed by the prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, last week said that it was recommending that Japan's princesses and their children join the line of succession.
This would pave the way for three-year-old Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Crown Prince Naruhito, to become reigning empress after her father.
But in a newsletter for the Imperial Household Agency, Japan's equivalent of Buckingham Palace, Prince Tomohito wrote: "Is it really good just to alter history and a unique tradition simply because we are living in the Heisei [modern] era?"
Conservative monarchists believe imperial blood flows only through the male line. Though Japan has had eight empresses, they served as regents until the line could revert to a son born in the male line.
Prince Tomohito wrote: "The reason the imperial line is so precious is that it is an undeniable fact that male succession has continued without exception in an unbroken line for 125 generations of emperors from the first reign of Jimmu in the mythical era."
The prince outlined ways to preserve male succession by bringing distant cousins of the emperor back into the line of succession either by adoption or the creation of new royal houses.
Even more controversially, the prince suggested male members of the royal family could once again take concubines to ensure a supply of sons.
"I'm all for it but this might be a little difficult considering social climate in and outside the country," he wrote.
The emperor's grandfather and great-grandfather were both born to concubines but Emperor Hirohito, who reigned from 1926 to 1989, ended the system.
The article will prompt speculation that Emperor Akihito and other members of the imperial family disagree with the mooted changes but are still observing the taboo on making public utterances on political matters.
Since they have to keep clear of politics, none was consulted by the prime minister's panel.
Prince Tomohito, who is not well known to the Japanese public, argued in his article that he should be allowed to speak freely because the newsletter is not for sale and is distributed only to a limited number of people.
"I take the position that I am speaking privately," he wrote.
No, I was referring to the Japanese royal line(s). Families keep track of this stuff. Old times there are not forgotten.
I think princess sayako is kinda girly, ruling her and her descendents out.
It does appear the Chrysanthemum Throne has an estrogen proplem. All nine members below 40 are female. What are the odds? (yeah, I know, 1 in 512)
Okay I have a solution! Scroll up to the chart, and look at Prince Katsura. This guy is 55 years old, but he could marry a younger woman. They could quickly turn out male children and solve the problem. The whole nation could go on a quest to make the old guy a father.
They had a Jimmuh too?
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