Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Some critics say Japan's male-only succession rules highlight persistent sexism in the country's imperial system.

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Japan's parliament has approved a bill to expand the imperial family by allowing the adoption of distant male relatives and letting female royals retain their status after marrying commoners, as concerns grow over the shrinking royal household.

However, the bill stops short of allowing women to inherit the throne, meaning Princess Aiko remains ineligible to succeed despite strong public support for a female emperor.

This episode was recorded on 2 July 2026.

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