Former Imperial Family Member: Public May Not Accept Solution of Adopting Men into the Royal Family

In a recent interview, a cousin of former Emperor Akihito, who is now a commoner, expressed the view that the Japanese public may not accept the option of expanding the imperial family by adopting male members from former royal branches that lost their status after World War II.

According to the former imperial family member, although this solution has been mentioned in discussions about the succession issue, it faces many psychological and traditional barriers in Japanese society. He emphasized that people may find it difficult to accept bringing individuals without direct bloodline into the royal family through adoption.

The succession issue in Japan has become urgent as the imperial family currently has only three male heirs, with Prince Hisahito being the only grandson of Emperor Naruhito in the younger generation. Other proposals, such as allowing women or empresses to succeed, are also sparking intense social debate.