Japan's Crown Prince Akishino Breaks With Tradition, Calls Succession Law a Matter of "Mixed Feelings"
Crown Prince Akishino of Japan told reporters he has "mixed feelings" about a revised Imperial House Law that locks in male-only succession to the throne, a strikingly candid break from a royal family that almost never comments on legislation.
The remarks came at a press conference on August 13, 2026, ahead of an official trip to Paraguay. They were first reported by Associated Press correspondent Mari Yamaguchi and distributed to outlets including Yahoo News, The Star, and Japan Today. Akishino said he believes "there is no difference between men and women" when it comes to fulfilling royal duties, according to the AP and the Town & Country account published August 14, 2026.
Japan's government pushed through a revision to the Imperial House Law, the statute that governs the royal family, earlier this year; it takes effect in October 2026. The revised law cements male-only, paternal-lineage succession while also allowing male descendants of eleven former imperial branches — families removed from the royal household in 1947 — to be adopted back in. It also permits princesses to keep their royal status if they marry commoners, though their husbands and children will not receive titles.
The throne's line of succession is narrow. It passes from Akishino to his 19-year-old son, Prince Hisahito, who has begun going on solo engagements this year. After Hisahito, the next in line is Emperor Naruhito's 90-year-old uncle. There are effectively no other male heirs waiting in the wings.
This is personal for Akishino. His elder daughter, Princess Mako, gave up her royal status in 2021 to marry a commoner and now lives in the United States. Under the old rules, that loss of title was automatic. Under the new law, his younger daughter, Princess Kako, would have the option to keep hers if she marries outside the family.
What makes the remarks stand out is the speaker, not just the sentiment. The Japanese imperial family operates under a convention of political silence that makes the British monarchy look outspoken. A crown prince publicly questioning a law his own government just passed is rare by any measure.
The public, meanwhile, is well ahead of the legislature. A Nikkei opinion poll showed 84 percent support for a female emperor, specifically Princess Aiko, Emperor Naruhito's only child. Under current law, Aiko is ineligible for the throne. Imperial succession was first legally limited to males in 1889 under Japan's prewar Constitution. The 1947 Imperial House Law kept that restriction in force. Critics have called the law anachronistic and sexist, and the 2026 revision has sparked concern that it could doom the already shrinking imperial family.
Akishino's comments land in a country where the throne is popular but the rules around it are increasingly contested. The law changes in October. The questions it raises will outlast the legislation.
