The Rikkoshi-no-Rei ceremony to proclaim that Crown Prince Akishino is the first in the line to the throne was held on Sunday at the Imperial Palace. This ritual wraps up the series of ceremonies related to the succession. Deepest congratulations are offered to the crown prince.
The ceremony was a matter of state under the Constitution, consisting of the Rikkoshi-Senmei-no-Gi in which the Emperor proclaims the status of the crown prince domestically and internationally, and the Choken-no-Gi where Crown Prince Akishino was received in audience by the Emperor.
The ceremony was originally scheduled to be held in April, but it was postponed due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The number of attendees at the ceremony was reduced and the Kyuchu-Kyoen-no-Gi banquet that was to be held with dignitaries from Japan and abroad was canceled. Holding the ceremony while taking measures to prevent the infection must be said to be an appropriate decision.
The Emperor recalled that he became more aware of his role as crown prince in the Rittaishi-no-Rei ceremony, in which his status was proclaimed when he became the crown prince of the Heisei era. Crown Prince Akishino must have felt the same way.
As the head of the Akishino Imperial family branch, he has performed numerous official duties in the past. He has listened to many experts online about the novel coronavirus pandemic and has been mindful of the public. The crown prince is well versed in biology and he is affectionately known as the "Prince of Catfish."
In the Imperial family of the Reiwa era, he is responsible for supporting his older brother the Emperor as the crown prince. He is also the father of Prince Hisahito, who is second in the line of succession. There must be many occasions when he deepens his thoughts on such issues as the state of education. Careful thought should be given to the crown prince's heavy responsibilities.
The Imperial House Law stipulates that the succession to the throne is to be carried out by men in the male line belonging to the Imperial lineage. Only three men -- Crown Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito and Prince Hitachi -- are in the line of succession to the throne. The debate over succession to the throne has been postponed along with the postponement of the Rikkoshi-no-Rei ceremony, but it is an issue that must be addressed seriously.
When the special law on abdication of the throne was enacted, the Diet called on the government to swiftly consider measures to ensure a stable succession to the throne and the creation of "female Imperial family branches" to allow female members of the Imperial family to remain in the Imperial family after they marry, among other issues.
Since the days when he was serving as chief cabinet secretary, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said that he wants to deal with the issue, taking into the account "the weight of the fact that male lineage has been maintained without exception since ancient times." A careful debate will be needed.
There are concerns that if female members of the Imperial family get married in the future, the number of members of the Imperial family will further decline. It has been argued that the creation of Imperial family branches headed by female members would lead to a future female emperor, but from the perspective of the sharing of official duties, a conclusion on this matter should be reached as soon as possible.
An image of the Imperial family that will maintain honor in the future must be discussed. Since the days of the administration of then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, a number of specific proposals have been discussed and the issues that have to be dealt with have already been formulated. A direction that can win the public's understanding must be presented.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on Nov. 8, 2020.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
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