Tokyo (AsiaNews) Japan is set for a revision of its constitution, allowing women to sit on the emperor's throne. A group of parliamentary representatives are studying for a possible revision of the Imperial Household Law, approved in 1948, granting rights of succession only to males of the imperial family.
At the moment the Japanese throne is occupied by Emperor Akihito, now 70 years of age. His successor is his oldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, who has a three year-old daughter, Aiko, born from his marriage with Princess Masako. Other than the prince's brother, there are no male successors within the imperial household.
Forty years have passed since a male has been born into the dynasty. The dynast has reigned in Japan for 2600 years, since the days of the first emperor, Jinnu, who was joined in wedlock with the sun goddess, Amaterasu, as legend has it.
Japan is getting ready to make a historic step, given that there have only been 8 empresses in history's oldest dynasty. The most recent one, empress Go- Sakuramachi, ruled in Japan from 1762-1770.
And yet ordinary citizens and even the ruling class seem to have taken kindly to the revision.
Taro Nakayama, head of the Lower House study panel on the National Diet of Japan, told the Sankei daily: "Our final impression is that we are preparing ourselves to accept the rule of an empress."
"The law's revision should pass within the next year," added Mr. Nakayama. "And since Japan has already had 8 empresses throughout its history, a new empress will not be so strange."
The Japanese populace seems to accept a good degree of change, in a society that is markedly male-centered. A recent survey revealed that more ¾ (76%) of the population is in favor of the change.
When interviewed by AsiaNews, PIME missionary in Japan, Fr. Alberto Berra said: "People really love little Aiko. They are happy to give here the chance to succeed her father to the emperor's throne. The change implying the revision of Imperial Household Law worries on a small minority of persons who remain attached to an archaic conception of the country."