Imperial House of Japan
For the Imperial household, i.e. the court which serves the imperial family, see Imperial Household Agency |
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan. |
The
Imperial House of Japan (also referred to as the Imperial Family or
kōshitsu, 皇室) comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning
Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties, as well as their minor children. Under the present
Constitution of Japan, the emperor is the symbol of the state and unity of the people. Other members of the imperial family perform ceremonial and social duties, but have no role in the affairs of government.
The
Japanese monarchy is the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world, and as last empire the highest ranking in protocol. The imperial house recognizes one hundred and twenty-five legitimate monarchs since the accession of
Emperor Jimmu (traditionally dated to
February 11,
660 BCE), including the reigning emperor,
Akihito. Most historians regard the first fourteen emperors (
Emperor Jimmu to
Emperor Chuai) as legendary figures.
The
1947 Imperial House Law defines the imperial house as: the empress (
kōgō 皇后), the empress dowager (
kōtaigō 皇太后), the grand empress dowager (
tai-kōtaigō 太皇太后), the crown prince (
kōtaishi 皇太子) and his consort, the imperial grandson who is heir apparent (
kōtaison 皇太孫) and his consort, the
shinnō (親王) and their consorts, the
naishinnō (内親王), the
ō (王) and their consorts, and the
nyoō (女王). The legitimate children and male line grandchildren of an emperor are
shinnō (imperial princes) in the case of males and
naishinnō (imperial princesses) in the case of females. More distant male line descendants are
ō (princes) or
nyoō (princesses). See below for more information on these titles.
After the removal of eleven families from the imperial house in October
1947, the official membership of the imperial family has effectively been limited to the male line descendants of the
Taishō Emperor, excluding females who married outside the imperial family and their descendants.
There are presently 22 members of the imperial family. Their personal names appear in parentheses:
*
His Imperial Majesty The Emperor (Akihito) was born at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on
23 December 1933, the elder son and sixth child of the
Shōwa Emperor and
Empress Kōjun (Nagako). He was married on
10 April 1959 to Her Imperial Majesty The Empress (
Michiko). The Empress, formerly Miss Shoda Michiko, was born in Tokyo on
24 October 1930, the eldest daughter of the late Mr. Shoda Hidesaburo, president and honorary chairman of Nisshin Flour Milling Company. Emperor Akihito succeeded his father as emperor on
7 January 1989.
*
His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince (Naruhito), the eldest son of the Emperor and the Empress, was born at the Tsugo Palace in Tokyo on
23 February 1960. He became heir apparent upon his father's ascension to the throne. Crown Prince Naruhito married on
10 June 1991 to Miss Owada Masako. Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princess (
Masako) was born on
6 December 1963, the daughter of
Hisashi Owada, former minister of foreign affairs and former permanent representative of Japan to the United Nations.
** The Crown Prince and Crown Princess have one daughter, Her Imperial Highness
Princess Aiko, who was born on
1 December 2001 and who holds the childhood title Princess Toshi (Toshi-no-miya).
 |
Emperor Akihito and his family |
*
His Imperial Highness Prince Akishino (Fumihito), the Emperor's second son, was born on
11 November 1965. His childhood title was
Prince Aya (
Aya-no-miya). He received the title Prince Akishino (
Akishino-no-miya) and permission to start a new branch of the imperial family upon his marriage to Miss Kawashima Kiko on
29 June 1988. Her Imperial Highness
Princess Akishino was born on
11 September 1966, the daughter of Dr. Kawashima Tatsuhiko, professor of economics at Gakushuin University. Prince and Princess Akishino have two daughters:
**Her Imperial Highness
Princess Mako (born
23 October 1991)
**Her Imperial Highness
Princess Kako (born
29 December 1994).
**Her Imperial Highness
Princess Akishino is currently pregnant with their third child, and is due to give birth in September 2006.
*
His Imperial Highness Prince Hitachi (Masahito) was born on
28 November 1934, the second son and seventh child of the Emperor Shôwa (
Hirohito) and Empress Kojun (
Nagako). His childhood title was Prince Yoshi (Yoshi-no-miya). He received the title Prince Hitachi (Hitachi-no-miya) and permission to set up a new branch of the imperial family on
1 October 1961, the day after his wedding. Her Imperial Highness
Princess Hitachi (Hanako), was born on
19 July 1940, the daughter of the late former Count Tsugaru Yoshitaka. Prince and Princess Hitachi have no children.
*
His Imperial Highness Prince Mikasa (Takahito) was born on
2 December 1914, the fourth son of the
Taisho Emperor and
Empress Teimei (Sadako). He is the surviving brother of Emperor Shōwa and the surviving paternal uncle of Emperor Akihito. His childhood title was Prince Sumi (Sumi-no-miya). He received the title Prince Mikasa (Mikasa-no-miya) and permission to start a new branch of the imperial family on
2 December 1935. He married on
22 October 1936. Her Imperial Highness
Princess Mikasa (Yuriko) was born on
6 June 1921, the second daughter of the late
Viscount Takagi Masanori. Prince and Princess Mikasa have two daughters and three sons.
**Their youngest son, Prince Takamado (Norihito), is deceased.
*
His Imperial Highness Prince Tomohito of Mikasa is the eldest son of Prince and Princess Mikasa and a first cousin of Emperor Akihito. He is also heir apparent to his father's title, Mikasa-no-miya. He was born on
5 January 1941. Prince Tomohito married Miss Aso Nobuko on
7 November 1980. Her Imperial Highness
Princess Tomohito of Mikasa was born on
9 April 1955, the daughter of the late Mr. Aso Takakichi, chairman of Aso Cement Co. and his wife, Kazuko, a daughter of former prime minister
Yoshida Shigeru. Prince and Princess Tomohito of Mikasa have two daughters:
** Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko (born
20 December 1981)
** Her Imperial Highness Princess Yoko (born
25 October 1983).
*
His Imperial Highness Prince Katsura (Yoshihito) is the second son of Prince and Princess Mikasa and a first cousin of Emperor Akihito. He was born on
11 February 1948. Originally known as Prince Yoshihito of Mikasa, he received the title Prince Katsura (Katsura-no-miya) and authorization to start a new branch of the imperial family on
1 January 1988.
*
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado (Hisako) is the widow of His Imperial Highness
Prince Takamado (Norihito) (born
29 December 1954, died
21 November 2002), the third son of The Prince and The Princess Mikasa and a first cousin of Emperor Akihito. The princess was born
10 July 1953, the daughter of Mr. Tottori Shigejiro. She married the prince on
6 December 1981. Originally known as Prince Norihito of Mikasa, he received the title Prince Takamado (Takamado-no-miya) and permission to start a new branch of the imperial family on
1 December 1981. Princess Takamado has three daughters:
** Her Imperial Highness
Princess Tsuguko (born
6 March 1984)
** Her Imperial Highness
Princess Noriko (born
21 July 1986)
** Her Imperial Highness
Princess Ayako (b.
15 September 1988).
Under the terms of the
1947 Imperial House Law,
naishinnō (imperial princesses) and
nyoō (princesses) lose their titles and membership in the imperial family upon marriage, unless they marry the Emperor or another member of the imperial family. Three of the five daughters of
Emperor Shōwa, the two daughters of Prince Mikasa, and most recently, the only daughter of the
Emperor Akihito left the imperial family upon marriage, taking the surnames of their husbands. (The eldest daughter of Emperor Shōwa married the eldest son of Prince
Higashikuni Naruhiko in
1943. The family lost its imperial status along with the other collateral branches of the imperial family in October
1947). The living former imperial princesses (whose personal names are in parentheses) are:
* Mrs.
Ikeda Takamasa (Atsuko), born
7 March 1931, fourth daughter of Emperor Shōwa and surviving elder sister of Emperor Akihito.
* Mrs.
Shimazu Hisanaga (Takako), born
2 March 1939, fifth daughter and youngest child of Emperor Shōwa and younger sister of Emperor Akihito.
* Mrs.
Konoe Tadateru (Yasuko), born
26 April 1944, eldest daughter and eldest child of Prince and Princess Mikasa.
* Mrs.
Sen Soshitsu (Masako), born
23 October 1951, second daughter and fourth child of Prince and Princess Mikasa.
* Mrs.
Kuroda Yoshiki (
Sayako), born
18 April 1969, third child and only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.
In addition to these former princesses, there are also descendants of the eleven
cadet branches of the dynasty (Asaka,
Fushimi, Higashi-Fushimi, Higashi-kuni,
Kan'in, Kaya, Kitashirakawa, Kuni, Nashimoto, Takeda, and Yamashina) that left the imperial family in October
1947.
:
See also Emperor of Japan: Succession. |
The Emperor addresses well-wishers at his birthday in 2005. At his left is the Empress; at his right is the Crown Prince. |
Historically, the
succession to Japan's
Chrysanthemum Throne has generally passed in male line of the imperial lineage. The imperial clan previously included specially designated collateral lines or
shinnōke (princely houses), too. The surviving
shinnōke and several other branches of the extended imperial clan (the were reduced to commoner status in
1947.
Before the
Meiji Restoration, Japan had eight female tennō or reigning empresses, all of them daughters of male line of the imperial clan. None ascended purely as a wife or as a widow of emperor. None of these empresses married or gave birth after ascending the throne.
Article 2 of the
Constitution of Japan provides that "The Imperial Throne shall be dynastic and succeeded to in accordance with the Imperial House Law passed by the Diet." The
Imperial House Law of
16 January 1947, enacted by the ninety-second and last session of the Imperial Diet, retained the exclusion on female dynasts found in the
1889 law. The government of Prime Minister
Yoshida Shigeru hastily cobbled together the legislation to bring the Imperial House in compliance with the American-written
Constitution of Japan that went into effect in May,
1947. In an effort to control the size of the imperial family, the law stipulates that only legitimate male descendants in the male line can be dynasts; that imperial princesses and princesses lose their status as imperial family members if they marry outside the imperial family; and that the Emperor and other members of the Imperial Family may not adopt children.
There is a potential succession crisis since no male child has been born into the imperial family since Prince Akishino in
1965. Following the birth of
Princess Aiko, there was some public debate about amending the Imperial House Law to allow female descendants of an emperor and their descendants to succeed to the throne. In January
2005 Prime Minister
Koizumi Junichiro appointed a special panel comprised of judges, university professors, and civil servants to study changes to the Imperial House Law and to make recommendations to the government. On
October 25,
2005, the commission recommended amending the law to allow females in the male line of imperial descent to succeed to the throne. There is broad public support for such a change. See
Japanese Imperial succession controversy.
# His Imperial Highness
Crown Prince Naruhito, the current Emperor's first son# His Imperial Highness
Prince Akishino (Fumihito), the current Emperor's second son# His Imperial Highness
Prince Hitachi (Masahito), the current Emperor's brother# His Imperial Highness
Prince Mikasa (Takahito), the current Emperor's uncle# His Imperial Highness
Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, Prince Mikasa's first son (the current Emperor's eldest male cousin)# His Imperial Highness
Prince Katsura (Yoshihito), Prince Mikasa's second son (the current Emperor's second eldest male cousin)
Except for Prince Mikasa, none of the princes now in the line of succession have sons. Crown Prince Naruhito has a daughter (Aiko) and Prince Akishino currently has two daughters (Mako and Kako). The emperor's brother, Prince Hitachi, is childless. Of the three sons of Prince Mikasa: Prince Tomohito of Mikasa has two daughters (Akiko and Yōko), Prince Katsura is childless, and the late Prince Takamado had three daughters (Tsuguko, Noriko, and Ayako).
Aside from amending the Imperial House Law to allow women to succeed to the throne, allowing members of the imperial family to adopt children, or reinstating one or more of the abolished cadet lines to imperial status, there are a limited number of viable solutions.
#
Crown Prince Naruhito attempts to produce a male heir.#
Prince Akishino attempts to produce a male heir.#
Prince Katsura could marry and produce a male heir.
In theory, one of other male members of the imperial family could have a son, but this is considered to very unlikely for various reasons. Princess Hitachi and Princess Tomohito of Mikasa are long past child bearing age. Crown Princess Masako is approaching the end of her child bearing years. Furthermore, if the widowed Princess Takamado were to remarry she would lose her status as a member of the imperial family. Prince Katsura has been paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair since suffering a series of strokes in
1988. The remaining members of the imperial family are all female, namely the daughters of the above mentioned princes. These female members would all lose their Imperial status upon marrying a commoner. Since there are no eligible male members of the imperial family for them to marry, they will all eventually become commoners. Furthermore, according to the succession law, an heir must descend from the male line, thus excluding any children from any of these princesses. Theoretically, the imperial family may come to end after the last male heir dies.
On
February 6,
2006, it was announced that
Princess Akishino is pregnant. If the baby is male, he will be third in line to the throne. [
1]
Ō (王) is a title (commonly translated Prince) given to male members of the Japanese Imperial Family who do not have the higher title of
shinnō. The female equivalent is nyoō (女王). Ō can also be translated as "king". The origin of this double meaning is a copying of the
Chinese pattern. Unlike in China, however, ō was only used for imperial family members. Interestingly, "queen" is joō, using the same characters as nyoō.
Historically, any male member of the Imperial Family was titled ō by default, with shinnō (親王; literally
relative-prince) and its female equivalent
naishinnō (内親王; literally
relative-princess) being special titles granted by the
Emperor. After the
Meiji Restoration, the difference between ō and shinnō were altered. A shinnō or naishinnō was a legitimate Imperial Family member descended from an Emperor down to the great grandchild. The term "legitimate Imperial Family" excludes anyone not connected by a direct
male line descent, as well as the descendants of anyone who renounced their membership in the Imperial Family, or were expelled from the Imperial Family. Shinnō also included the heads of any of the
shinnōke. A provision of law which never had an opportunity to be applied also stipulated that if the head of a shinnōke succeeded to the
Chrysanthemum Throne, then his brothers would acquire the title of shinnō, as well as their descendants (down to the grandchildren?). The Emperor could also specially grant the title of shinnō to any ō.
In
1947, the law was changed so that shinnō only extended to the male-line grandchildren of an Emperor. The Imperial Family was also drastically pruned, disestablishing the ōke and shinnōke. The consort of an ō or shinnō has the suffix -hi (妃) to ō or shinnō.
*
Emperor of Japan*
Shinnōke*
*
Fushimi*
Katsura*
Arisugawa (extinct)
*
Kan'in (extinct)
*Nashimoto
*Kuni
*Yamashina (extinct)
*Kachō or Kwachō (extinct)
*Kitashirakawa
*Higashifushimi (extinct)
*Kaya
*Asaka
*Higashikuni
*Takeda
*
Emperor*
Empress*
Crown prince*
Royal family*
Monarchy*
Monarch*
Prince*
Princess*
Order of succession*
The official website of the Imperial Household Agency*
Genealogy of the Japanese Imperial Family*
Japan Zone | The Imperial Family*
Unofficial Site
