a female tenno?

[AkiraYamato]

As you may know, our crown prince Naruhito has only a daughter. According to our traditions a women isn´t allowed as Tenno. The next Tenno will be Naruhito, but it is still a debate who will suceed him. His daughter Aiko or his nephew Hisahito?

The little princess Aiko is very very popular in Japan. Many would like to have an Empress. It would be the first since many thousand years. But it looks now, that Tenno Akihito prefer his grandson Hisahito.
You can see that very clear on the imperial family picture of 2008.

 

[revanneosl]

I know almost nothing about politics in Japan. Tell us something about the relative weight that will be given to 1) the tradition of male succession, 2) the populaity of princess Aiko among the people, and 3) the preference of Tenno Akihito for his grandson.

Who will decide who is Tenno? And whose desires will they pay attention to?

 

[AkiraYamato]

I know almost nothing about politics in Japan. Tell us something about the relative weight that will be given to 1) the tradition of male succession, 2) the populaity of princess Aiko among the people, and 3) the preference of Tenno Akihito for his grandson.

Who will decide who is Tenno? And whose desires will they pay attention to?

The tradition and law say, that only a man can become Tenno (emperor of Japan).
Crownprince Naruhito and his wife crown princess Masako got no son, so the parliament thaught about to change that law and the current Tenno Akihito agreed with that. But shortly before a decission crown prince Hisahito was born.
Now it looks like tenno Akihito prefer his grandson Hisahito.
The popularity of princess Aiko has no weight in that decission, because a tenno is not chosen because of his popularity.
The decission of Tenno Akihito will decide about that. After him, his son Naruhito will be Tenno, but it is doubtful, that he would reject the wish of his father and make his own daughter to the first empress since 3000 years.

 

[revanneosl]

I see. This is fascinating to me. My nation is so very very young, with none of these venerable traditions that give a sense of continuity and stability to ancient civilizations.

 

[AkiraYamato]

Oh and that you know, that is crown prince Hisahito:

And that is crown princess Aiko with her parents crownprince Naruhito and crownprincess Masako:

 

[Chajara]

I remember my Japanese teacher talking about this and mentioning how popular little Aiko is. Agreed, this is fascinating. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

EDIT: I just about squealed looking at the pictures posted above. Absolutely adorable kids.

 

[AkiraYamato]

I see. This is fascinating to me. My nation is so very very young, with none of these venerable traditions that give a sense of continuity and stability to ancient civilizations.

Japan is the oldest nation on earth and we have also the oldest monarchy.
Our royal family rules since 3000 years. There was never a change in the family line. Since 3000 years the father gave the power to his son.
Our current Tenno Akihito is the 125th Tenno of Japan. You track back his ancestry till the first human Tenno Jimmu, who ruled 660 before Christ.

 

[AkiraYamato]

I remember my Japanese teacher talking about this and mentioning how popular little Aiko is. Agreed, this is fascinating. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

EDIT: I just about squealed looking at the pictures posted above. Absolutely adorable kids.

Yes they are. Btw you should have see me in that age
I may not look as glorious but still cute xD

 

[Joachim]

Japan is the oldest nation on earth and we have also the oldest monarchy.
Our royal family rules since 3000 years. There was never a change in the family line. Since 3000 years the father gave the power to his son.
Our current Tenno Akihito is the 125th Tenno of Japan. You track back his ancestry till the first human Tenno Jimmu, who ruled 660 before Christ.

I am actually going to argue both points. Japan is now the oldest monarchy on Earth. It only became so in 1974 with the overthrow of Halie Selassie by Mengistu Halie Meriam. Until then, the oldest monarchy on Earth was that of Ethiopia, tracing its lineage back to King Solomon of Israel.

Ethiopia is also the oldest nation on Earth, having existed as an independent nation essentially since the beginning of civilization.

 

[Chajara]

Yes they are. Btw you should have see me in that age
I may not look as glorious but still cute xD

Nah, kids don't have to be dressed up like royalty to be cute. But then, I'm a maternal sort and looking at any kid makes me all gushy (Unless they're doing something really naughty, of course.)

You certainly were excited to go bowling, weren't you? Reminds me of pictures of me at that age.

Also, I didn't realize Ethiopa was so darn old. Learn something new every day.

 

[AkiraYamato]

I am actually going to argue both points. Japan is now the oldest monarchy on Earth. It only became so in 1974 with the overthrow of Halie Selassie by Mengistu Halie Meriam. Until then, the oldest monarchy on Earth was that of Ethiopia, tracing its lineage back to King Solomon of Israel.

Ethiopia is also the oldest nation on Earth, having existed as an independent nation essentially since the beginning of civilization.

We should stay on reality, not mythology.

 

[Staccato]

I remember reading a little while back that there was a 'succession crisis' in the Japanese monarchy due to a large number of females being born, and that there was considerable debate over whether or not to allow females to inherit the Imperial Throne.

Akira, do you think it is likely that the male-only law will be changed in the near future, even if Hisahito ascends to the throne? I know that Prime Minister Fukuda said he was going to ensure that the law was changed but obviously left office before that came about. Are any prominent politicians at the moment in favour of such a measure?

 

[AkiraYamato]

I remember reading a little while back that there was a 'succession crisis' in the Japanese monarchy due to a large number of females being born, and that there was considerable debate over whether or not to allow females to inherit the Imperial Throne.

Akira, do you think it is likely that the male-only law will be changed in the near future, even if Hisahito ascends to the throne? I know that Prime Minister Fukuda said he was going to ensure that the law was changed but obviously left office before that came about. Are any prominent politicians at the moment in favour of such a measure?

It was a big devate before the birth of prince Hisahito.
But since he is born, the debate is not big in public anymore.
But i personal think, that even with Prince Hisahito, the problem isn´t really solved, just pushed back. Our line is now safe the next 3 generations.
After the current Tenno Akihito will his son Naruhito become tenno and after him Hisahito, but what happenes, if Hisahito has only daughters? Then we have the same problem that we faced 3 years ago.
The big majority of the public would love to see an Empress Aiko.
Aiko is very very popular and so is her mother Masako.
Prince Hisahitos mother Princess Kiko is not very popular. Its difficult to explain. Princess Kiko is very hmmm controlled.
When you know the entire background, you would know, that Masako had big depressions, because she got no baby. As she got Aiko, she was so happy. She did not care iit is boy or girl. But princess Kiko always saw Masako as rival...
That she got Hisahito just at the moment, as parliament wanted change the law was her personal victory against crown princess Masako.

 

[Museveni]

Just for the record Denmark is the oldest kingdom in the world that still exists, or at the very least got hard evidence to support its case. Unless any of this have changed recently. Earliest records for japan is only about 1500 years ago. Anything befor that is just legends and myths about various emperors. Dunno about Ethiopia though. The Bible isnt exactly what I'd call hard evidence.

 

[AkiraYamato]

Just for the record Denmark is the oldest kingdom in the world that still exists, or at the very least got hard evidence to support its case. Unless any of this have changed recently. Earliest records for japan is only about 1500 years ago. Anything befor that is just legends and myths about various emperors. Dunno about Ethiopia though. The Bible isnt exactly what I'd call hard evidence.

First emperor was Jimmu 660 before christ. Denmark isnt even a real country. You are kind of seperatist germany. No own culture nor language. Also in Denmark ruled many dynasties. Its not a clear line like in japan.

 

[morningstar2651]

I am actually going to argue both points. Japan is now the oldest monarchy on Earth. It only became so in 1974 with the overthrow of Halie Selassie by Mengistu Halie Meriam. Until then, the oldest monarchy on Earth was that of Ethiopia, tracing its lineage back to King Solomon of Israel.

Ethiopia is also the oldest nation on Earth, having existed as an independent nation essentially since the beginning of civilization.

Except for the lack of archaeological evidence that Solomon ever existed.

Amazon.com: The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts: Neil Asher Silberman, Israel Finkelstein: Books

 

[Kalevalatar]

Sweden changed the Swedish Act of Succession in 1980 to introduce equal primogeniture. Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, is currently the only female heir-apparent in the world.

First emperor was Jimmu 660 before christ. Denmark isnt even a real country. You are kind of seperatist germany. No own culture nor language.

Huh? Huh? And huh?

Denmark is "no real country"? And what do you think the Danish language that the Danes speak is then, if not an "own language" of the Danes? The European Union sure disagrees.

I'm afraid your manifested ignorance does no credit to the Japanese education system.

FYI, the German nation-state Germany is but a meager 100+ years old, whereas Denmark has been around for good thousand years. Many of the historical Houses in the territory that is now modern-day Germany descend from the royal houses of Denmark. Same applies to other European royal houses, including the Royal House of the United kingdom.

Denmark isnt even a real country. You are kind of seperatist germany.

Also, here, you might take notice that my neighbour Museveni hails from Sweden, not from Denmark, hence the blue & yellow flag.

 

[AkiraYamato]

For me you are all the same^^

 

[Kalevalatar]

For me you are all the same^^

Huh? What, you mean this, this, this, this, and this?

 

[TheNewWorldMan]

Some independent fact-checking here:

This rather exhaustive list of monarchies past and present lists Japan as the world's oldest extant monarchy:
A Monarchist's Guide to the World

Wikipedia concurs in this judgment:
Imperial House of Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As does this site:
Monarchies Of The World: Dpt. of Political Science @ CU

So it would appear anyone asserting Japan has the world's oldest ongoing monarchy has quite a bit of evidence on their side.