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Japan revises Imperial House Law

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara (front, L) bows after the House of Councillors passed a bill to revise the Imperial House Law during a plenary session in Tokyo on July 17, 2026. The amendment to the 1947 law permits the imperial family to adopt males aged 15 or older who are descended from emperors through the male line in 11 former branch families and also allows female members to retain their imperial status even after marrying commoners.

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Japan revises Imperial House Law

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stands up after the House of Councillors passed a bill to revise the Imperial House Law during a plenary session in Tokyo on July 17, 2026. The amendment to the 1947 law permits the imperial family to adopt males aged 15 or older who are descended from emperors through the male line in 11 former branch families and also allows female members to retain their imperial status even after marrying commoners.

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Japan revises Imperial House Law

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stands up after the House of Councillors passed a bill to revise the Imperial House Law during a plenary session in Tokyo on July 17, 2026. The amendment to the 1947 law permits the imperial family to adopt males aged 15 or older who are descended from emperors through the male line in 11 former branch families and also allows female members to retain their imperial status even after marrying commoners.

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Japan revises Imperial House Law

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stands up after the House of Councillors passed a bill to revise the Imperial House Law during a plenary session in Tokyo on July 17, 2026. The amendment to the 1947 law permits the imperial family to adopt males aged 15 or older who are descended from emperors through the male line in 11 former branch families and also allows female members to retain their imperial status even after marrying commoners.

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Lower house passes bill for imperial law revision

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara bows after the House of Representatives passed a bill for a law revision to address the dwindling number of imperial family members during a plenary session in Tokyo on July 10, 2026.

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Lower house passes bill for imperial law revision

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara bows after the House of Representatives passed a bill for a law revision to address the dwindling number of imperial family members during a plenary session in Tokyo on July 10, 2026.

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Japanese lawmakers studying UFO cases

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara (far L) meets in Tokyo on May 28, 2026, with members of a parliamentarians' group created to study reported cases of unidentified flying objects.

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New Takaichi Cabinet inaugurated

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front, C) and her Cabinet members pose for a photo at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo after being inaugurated in a ceremony with Emperor Naruhito following her reelection as Japan's prime minister in parliament on Feb. 18, 2026.

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New Takaichi Cabinet inaugurated

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front row, C) poses for a photo at the premier's office in Tokyo with her Cabinet members after her new Cabinet was inaugurated following her reelection as Japan's prime minister in parliament on Feb. 18, 2026.

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New Takaichi Cabinet inaugurated

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front row, C) poses for a photo at the premier's office in Tokyo with her Cabinet members after her new Cabinet was inaugurated following her reelection as Japan's prime minister in parliament on Feb. 18, 2026.

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New Takaichi Cabinet inaugurated

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front row, C) poses for a photo at the premier's office in Tokyo with her Cabinet members after her new Cabinet was inaugurated following her reelection as Japan's prime minister in parliament on Feb. 18, 2026.

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New Takaichi Cabinet inaugurated

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front row, C) poses for a photo at the premier's office in Tokyo with her Cabinet members after her new Cabinet was inaugurated following her reelection as Japan's prime minister in parliament on Feb. 18, 2026.

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Japan PM Takaichi at Cabinet meeting

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (C) is pictured with members of her Cabinet ahead of a Cabinet meeting at her office in Tokyo on Jan. 20, 2026, a day after announcing her plan to dissolve the House of Representatives on Jan. 23 for a snap general election on Feb. 8.

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