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July 12, 2026
 

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IMPERIAL FAMILY

The Lower House plenary session, which passed legislation on the dwindling number of imperial family members on Friday
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 10, 2026
Bills on preservation of imperial family pass Lower House
The pieces of legislation will now be deliberated in the Upper House, which is expected to clear them by the end of the current session of parliament.
Members of Japan's imperial family during a public appearance for New Year celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 2
JAPAN
Jul 8, 2026
Imperial family bill may clear Lower House as early as Friday
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party said it would agree to hold intensive discussions at the Budget Committee of the Diet’s lower chamber, with the prime minister in attendance.
Princess Aiko, the daughter of Emperor Naruhito, said in a 2022 news conference upon coming of age that she hopes to “spend a long time together” with her parents.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jul 3, 2026
Japan’s princesses face life-altering legal revisions
After decades of discussion over their future, the princesses may soon have the option to either leave or remain in the imperial family.
Newly enthroned Emperor Naruhito takes part in a ritual at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in May 2019, in which imperial envoys are dispatched to the Ise Grand Shrine and imperial mausoleums.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 3, 2026
Tradition vs. change: Japan’s imperial succession debate intensifies
For decades, the government has postponed action. This week, however, Prime Minister Takaichi’s administration submitted a bill to the Diet to revise the Imperial House Law.
LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki before a meeting with the Centrist Reform Alliance on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 2, 2026
LDP to halt debate on JIP priorities to focus on imperial family bill
The LDP is ready to halt debate on controversial bills while discussions on proposed Imperial House Law revisions are underway, LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki has said.
Asahiro Kuni, a member of a former branch of the imperial family, says no one should be forced to be adopted into the imperial family.
JAPAN
Jul 2, 2026
Former imperial family member views Japan’s adoption plan as ‘unrealistic’
The 81-year-old cousin of Emperor Emeritus Akihito said he believes no one should be “forced” to be adopted and that he hopes the system will “respect the wishes of individuals.”
Revisions to the laws meant to tackle the imperial family's dwindling numbers included clauses that throw succession rules into question.
JAPAN
Jul 1, 2026
Law revisions regarding imperial family invite controversy about succession
Revisions to the laws meant to tackle the imperial family’s dwindling numbers included clauses that throw succession rules into question.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, seen with other imperial family members, walk down a hill to greet guests during a spring garden party at the Akasaka Palace's imperial garden in Tokyo in April.
JAPAN
Jun 30, 2026
Japan adopts bill to revise Imperial House Law
The government aims to enact the bill during the ongoing Diet session, currently scheduled to end on July 17.
The ruling party lawmaker Hirofumi Nakasone said on Sunday that no one would marry Princess Aiko if she ascended the imperial throne while unmarried, prompting criticism.
JAPAN
Jun 30, 2026
LDP’s Hirofumi Nakasone regrets remark about Princess Aiko
In a speech in Toyama Prefecture on Sunday, the lawmaker added that no one would marry the princess if she were to succeed to the throne while unmarried.
Emperor Naruhito visits KU Leuven's library with Belgian King Philippe in the city of Leuven on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2026
Emperor thanks Netherlands and Belgium for warm welcome
The imperial couple’s visit included trips to a monument to the war dead in Amsterdam and a semiconductor research center in Belgium.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako sign the guest book at the Royal Palace, accompanied by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, in Brussels, on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jun 24, 2026
Emperor Naruhito wishes for lasting friendship at Belgian banquet
The event comes as the two countries mark 160 years of diplomatic ties.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako lay a wreath at the National Monument at Dam Square in Amsterdam on June 17, as part of a three-day visit to the Netherlands.
JAPAN
Jun 23, 2026
Nagasaki hibakusha recalls wartime conversations with Dutch prisoner of war
Contact with foreigners was prohibited at the time, but Shohei Tsuiki wanted to try out the English he had started learning.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako with Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde at the Royal Castle of Ciergnon in Houyet, Belgium, on Sunday
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2026
Emperor and empress dine at a castle with Belgium’s royal family
They enjoyed their meal at a garden of the Royal Castle of Ciergnon near the town of Ciergnon in the municipality of Houyet, southern Belgium, for about an hour and a half.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are greeted by Belgian Princess Elisabeth as they arrive at the Melsbroek Air Base of the Belgian Air Force near Brussels on Saturday.
JAPAN
Jun 21, 2026
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive in Belgium
The couple’s visit, their first to the country since 1999, follows their trip to Netherlands last week.
Eisuke Mori (second from right), speaker of the House of Representatives, speaks to reporters in Tokyo's Nagatacho area on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 20, 2026
Parliament leaders OK outline of Imperial House Law amendment bill
The outline calls for allowing male members of the male line of former imperial family branches who are 15 or over to be adopted into the family.
Emperor Naruhito and Dutch King Willem-Alexander pose for a photo in the “Sweat Room” at Leiden University, where it is a tradition for graduating students to write their names on the walls, in Leiden, the Netherlands, on Thursday.
JAPAN
Jun 19, 2026
Emperor talks with students at Leiden University on Netherlands visit
The oldest university in the Netherlands, established in 1575, is the only one in the country offering Japanese studies.
Emperor Naruhito delivers remarks at a luncheon hosted by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague on Thursday.
JAPAN
Jun 19, 2026
Emperor Naruhito attends luncheon in The Hague
The emperor said he hopes the friendly and cooperative ties between Japan and the Netherlands will become deeper and more multifaceted for next-generation youths and children.
Over 53% of respondents to a recent survey support a plan to reduce 45 of the 176 proportional representation seats in the Lower House.
JAPAN
Jun 18, 2026
38% back parliament’s proposal on imperial family, poll shows
The government and the ruling coalition aim to enact the revision during the current parliamentary session ending July 17.
Emperor Naruhito (left) gives a speech as the Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander listens during a state banquet at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jun 18, 2026
Emperor makes wish for peace at banquet hosted by Dutch king and queen
Reflecting on World War II, when Japan and the Netherlands were on opposing sides, the emperor expressed hopes that both countries continue to walk together for peace.
Emperor Naruhito visits Het Loo Palace, a museum adjacent to Het Oude Loo Castle, in the Netherlands on Monday.
JAPAN
Jun 16, 2026
Emperor Naruhito visits palace museum in Netherlands
The emperor viewed exhibits such as paintings by court painters and toured rooms and a chapel while receiving briefings from the museum’s head, the Imperial Household Agency said.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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