There have been eight women who ruled as empress, but Japanese culture has always prioritised maleness.
Japan’s new Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako make their first public appearance to at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan, May 4, 2019.
EPA-EFE/Franck Robichon
History tells us there were eight women who ruled as empresses of Japan, but since reforms of the constitution in 1947, only a man can inherit the throne.
Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako at their residence Togu Palace in Tokyo, Feb. 17, 2019.
Imperial Household Agency of Japan/Handout via Reuters
Japan’s 86-year-old Emperor Akihito abdicates on April 30 — an exceedingly rare event for this ancient monarchy. Can his son, Prince Naruhito, give Japan’s royal family a modern makeover?
Grill, a 19-year-old female California sea lion, holds a brush in her jaws after writing the calligraphy ‘Reiwa’ to mark the beginning of a new era for Japan.
EPA-EFE/Jiji Press Japan