Japan's parliament on Friday enacted changes to imperial succession rules, allowing male distant relatives to rejoin the imperial family and women to retain royal status after marrying commoners. The legislation, however, keeps the ban on female emperors despite opinion polls showing broad public support for allowing women to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne.
Japan’s parliament enacted Friday a historic revision to the 19th century Imperial House Law by insisting only paternal-lineage men can become emperor, sparking fear that it could doom the already shrinking imperial family.
