Japan's crown prince says he believes in gender equality for royal duties

Key Points:

• Japanese Crown Prince Akishino expressed "mixed feelings" about the government's recent revision to the Imperial House Law, which reinforces the rule that only men can ascend to the throne, despite his belief in gender equality within imperial roles.
• The revision, enacted by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's conservative government, has faced criticism for being sexist and potentially threatening the future of the shrinking imperial family by excluding female succession, notably Princess Aiko, Emperor Naruhito's popular daughter.
• The law now allows princesses to retain their royal status after marrying commoners but excludes their spouses and children from the royal lineage, and controversially permits the adoption of distant male paternal-line descendants to secure male heirs.
• Historically, Japan has had eight female monarchs, but the male-only succession rule was formalized in 1890 and carried into the current law from 1947, reflecting patriarchal traditions that critics argue are outdated.
• Akishino hopes his children, Princess Kako and Prince Hisahito, will find happiness and fulfill their official duties, while concerns remain that the law's revision may undermine the more inclusive legacy of former Emperor Akihito.