Japan’s Cabinet Approval Plummets to 57% Over Male-Line Imperial Succession Law

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet approval rating collapsed to 57% in July, down 12 percentage points from June, after the National Diet passed a controversial Imperial House Law amendment on July 17. The law allows male descendants from 11 former imperial branches to be adopted into the royal family, securing succession through their sons, but explicitly excludes women from inheriting the throne. Public opinion overwhelmingly contradicts the policy: 85% of Japanese citizens support allowing a female emperor, and over 20,000 protested outside the Diet Building.

Why the law deepened the succession crisis

Japan’s Imperial Family has dwindled to just 16 members, with only three eligible to inherit the throne: Emperor Naruhito’s 60-year-old brother Fumihito, Fumihito’s 19-year-old son Hisahito, and the Emperor’s 90-year-old uncle Masahito. The amendment adopted male descendants from former imperial branches demoted to commoner status nearly 80 years ago. Their sons would gain succession rights, but the adoptees themselves would not. Emperor Naruhito has no son, only the popular Princess Aiko, yet the law bars her from the throne.

Public fury over forced passage and poor communication

Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party bypassed bipartisan consensus and forced the amendment through on July 17 without agreement on its scope. Surveys by Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun show 60% of respondents felt the Prime Minister provided insufficient explanation. Over 20,000 protesters gathered at the National Diet Building, with some criticizing that a female prime minister was blocking a female emperor. Kyodo News reported 51.3% favored adoption of former branch members while 39.3% opposed it.

Takaichi defends the policy despite plunging support

When questioned in parliament on July 27 about her falling approval ratings, Takaichi said she was taking public sentiment to heart but claimed not to know the cause of the decline. Yomiuri Shimbun attributed the drop directly to the divisive amendment being pushed through forcibly. Asahiro Kuni, an 81-year-old descendant of the Kuninomiya branch, criticized the revision as unrealistic, saying it is hard for the public to accept someone without royal upbringing suddenly entering the lineage. Takaichi has made clear she has no intention of changing the succession rules to allow women.

The contradiction between policy and public will

Mainichi Shimbun and Kyodo News reported support rates between 72% and 81% for allowing female emperors, while 76% said debate on further Imperial House Law revisions should continue. Emperor Naruhito previously expressed hope that any reform would earn public understanding, grounding legitimacy in the general will of the people under Article 1 of Japan’s Constitution. The gap between the law’s passage and public opinion has become a flashpoint in Japan’s political debate over the monarchy’s future.

Final Thoughts

Takaichi’s forced passage of the male-line succession law has backfired politically, with her cabinet approval falling 12 points to 57% while 85% of the public backs female emperors. The policy contradicts both public will and the constitutional principle that imperial legitimacy rests on popular consent.

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