Japan’s parliament has approved reforms intended to address the shrinking size of the imperial family, allowing it to adopt distant male relatives aged over 15 and permitting female royals to retain their status after marrying outside the family. The changes matter because the current male-only succession line is close to running out, but the legislation leaves intact the ban on women becoming emperor, excluding Princess Aiko despite strong public backing for a female monarch.

Emperor Naruhito’s brother, 60-year-old Fumihito, is first in line, followed by Fumihito’s 19-year-old son Prince Hisahito and the emperor’s 90-year-old uncle. If Hisahito has no son, the existing succession line would end; the reform enables male descendants from 11 former imperial branches removed after the Second World War to be adopted back. The bill is the first amendment to the main text of the Imperial House Law since 1949, while polls cited by the BBC found 70% and 83% support respectively for allowing a woman to take the throne.