Tokyo: Japan's lower house approved a bill on Friday to revise the 1947 Imperial House Law, marking a significant step toward reforming the country's decades-old imperial system. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, aim to secure passage in the upper house before the current parliamentary session ends on July 17.

According to Anadolu Agency, the bill would allow the imperial family to adopt males age 15 or older from 11 former male-line imperial branch families and permit female royals to retain their imperial status after marrying commoners. While adopted members themselves would be barred from becoming emperor, their male descendants would be eligible to succeed to the throne. However, the legislation does not permit female or maternal-line emperors.

Under current law, only men descended from emperors through the paternal line may inherit the throne, and female royals lose their imperial status upon marriage. As the imperial family continues to shrink, the reform aims to expand its membership without changing the line of succession.

The current emperor is Emperor Naruhito, 66, who acceded to the throne following his father's abdication in 2019. The only heirs to the throne are Crown Prince Fumihito, 60, his son Prince Hisahito, 19, and Prince Hitachi, 90.

The bill was drafted after consultations with all parliamentary parties but has faced criticism from some opposition lawmakers over provisions that would expand succession eligibility to the male descendants of adoptees. Debate on the legislation had been delayed by a broader parliamentary deadlock, which eased after the government agreed to concessions on other contested bills.