"First Female Prime Minister Excludes Empress Succession" Takaichi Cabinet Approval Hits Record Low Since Inauguration

Cabinet Approval at 53% in Asahi, 41% in Mainichi after Imperial House Law Revision
Distant Male Relatives—Up to 38th Cousins of Current Emperor—Now Eligible for Succession

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet approval rating has dropped to its lowest level since the administration formed, after she amended the Imperial House Law to explicitly exclude the possibility of women ascending the throne.

Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, is seen smiling brightly while attending the graduation ceremony at Gakushuin University in Tokyo on the 20th. Photo by Yonhap News

According to separate opinion polls conducted by the Asahi Shimbun and the Mainichi Shimbun on July 20, support for the Takaichi cabinet fell to a record low in both newspapers' surveys since the administration was launched.

In a survey by the Asahi Shimbun conducted on July 18 and 19—immediately following the passage of the amended Imperial House Law in the House of Councillors (Upper House) of the Japanese Diet on July 17—the Takaichi cabinet's approval rating was recorded at 53%, a 7 percentage point drop from the previous month's poll. This is the first time since the Takaichi administration was inaugurated in October of the previous year that support in Asahi's polling has dipped into the 50% range.

The Asahi Shimbun analyzed that the amendment of the Imperial House Law contributed to the drop in approval rating, noting that among those who responded that the amendment had "not gained public understanding," the cabinet's support stood at 42%—lower than the overall average—and disapproval at 49%, significantly higher than the overall average of 35%.

In a simultaneous poll by the Mainichi Shimbun during the same period, the Takaichi cabinet's approval rating reached an all-time low of 41%, down 10 percentage points from the previous month. Mainichi explained that for the first time, the cabinet's disapproval rate (44%) surpassed its approval rate, and that although an amendment to the Imperial House Law was introduced by the ruling party to address the royal family’s shortage of members, the failure to gain voter understanding resulted in a substantial decline in support.

Yonhap News Agency

The revised Imperial House Law stipulates that former male members of the royal family—sharing an ancestor with the current Emperor Naruhito from around 600 years ago and related as 36th to 38th cousins—can be adopted as imperial heirs, with the right of succession granted if a male child is born to them after adoption. Additionally, despite public opinion polls showing that 70% of respondents support officially recognizing reigning empresses by changing the male-only succession rule, discussions on this topic were not held, and the amendment specifically excludes granting royal status to spouses and children of married female royals. Both points have sparked backlash.

It has also been pointed out as ironic that Prime Minister Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, is siding with the conservative political faction insisting on male-only succession.

In the Asahi Shimbun poll, when asked whether the amendment to the Imperial House Law had gained public understanding, 60% responded "no." In the Mainichi Shimbun poll, negative assessments of the amendment (45%) were more than double the positive ones (19%).

The Mainichi Shimbun found that 46% of respondents felt Prime Minister Takaichi’s approach to policy was "not courteous," compared to 38% who said it was "courteous"—mirroring opposition party criticism that the Liberal Democratic Party has forcefully pushed policies based on its numerical superiority after its landslide victory in the House of Representatives. Additionally, only 29% of respondents evaluated Prime Minister Takaichi’s response to high prices positively, while nearly double—57%—gave a negative assessment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.