More than 1,000 Japanese rallied yesterday to oppose introducing mother-line succession for the first time in the world's oldest monarchy, which is facing a crisis without a male heir.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has promised to submit a bill before parliament by June that would put four-year-old Princess Aiko in line to ascend the throne and then allow her first child to succeed her.
"Did the panel consider if Princess Aiko married a man with blue eyes after falling in love when studying abroad and the possibility that their first child would become emperor?" Takeo Hiranuma, a former economy and industry minister who is an outspoken opponent of mother-line succession, told the rally.
"This has to be prevented by any means," he said.
"We have to risk our lives to preserve the tradition of succession which our ancestors toiled to maintain," he said.
Some 1,200 people, including 44 lawmakers, attended the indoor rally, organizers said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe rejected the rally's call for the government to study the succession issue further.
"It was discussed thoroughly by the advisory panel," Abe told a news conference.
No boys have been born to the imperial family since 1965, spelling crisis for the tradition of male-only succession, which has lasted more than 2,600 years, according to legend.
Opinion polls show overwhelming support for letting Aiko sit on the throne amid sympathy for her mother Crown Princess Masako, a former career woman who makes few appearances due to stress.
Some have called for reinstating families who lost their royal titles after World War II. The families of the late emperor Hirohito's three brothers stayed royal but 51 people from 11 other families lost their imperial titles and became commoners in 1947 to cut government expenses under US occupation.
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