Photo/Illutration Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein speaks with reporters on Aug. 15. (Reuters photo)

A European nation will no longer limit hereditary succession to its throne to males.

Liechtenstein, a constitutional monarchy, announced that it was changing its succession system to one having the eldest child, regardless of gender, succeed to the throne.

The House Law of the Princely House will be revised and applied to the generation to be born from now.

Female members will also be given a vote regarding the Princely House law.

Most European constitutional monarchies, such as Sweden and Britain, have converted to a succession system focusing on the eldest child, regardless of gender.

While nations such as Spain still give priority to males, there is now no European nation that prohibits women from the throne.

A nation of about 40,000, Liechtenstein has for generations had a member of the Princely House serve as monarch.

A conservative nation that emphasizes tradition, Liechtenstein was the last European nation to grant women the right to vote in national elections in 1984.

Why is it now changing a system that has been in place for more than 400 years?

In a speech, Hereditary Prince Alois said responsibility for the nation and the Princely House would rest “with the person who has received the best preparation for these duties.”

Children of the monarch learn about the nation and Princely House from a young age. Rather than exempt women, it is only rational to raise the first child as a future monarch.

As such, the decision was a logical one that took a long-term view of the system.

Alois added that it was important to seek a balance between progress and continuity.

The latest decision reflects a stance of protecting what has functioned adequately until now while also responding to changes in the times.

The news is not about a distant nation for Japan.

One foundation behind the consideration for revising the Imperial House Law, which was accomplished in July, was discussions held in 2021 by a government panel of experts.

Liechtenstein was used as a reference point because it had continued with a succession system of sons from the patrilineal line.

Other points about Liechtenstein were also referred to, such as allowing females to remain in the Princely House after marriage and to allow for adoption when there were no successors.

The July revision allowed female imperial family members to retain their status after marriage and established a system for adopting sons of former imperial branches from the patrilineal side.

No simple comparison can be made of the Liechtenstein prince and Japanese emperor.

But there is a common issue of how to have the succession system adapt to the times.

This issue was squarely discussed in Japan in the past.

A government panel of experts in 2005 pointed out that tradition was not eternal, but that a new tradition could be created through the accumulated choices made in the various times.

The decision by Liechtenstein once again presents to Japan the question of what should be protected and what should be revised to pass the system down to future generations.

In a July editorial, we called for an open discussion about imperial succession and the emperor system itself, including whether female or matrilineal emperors should be allowed.

The conversion in Liechtenstein, which Japan has used as a reference, should become an opportunity to return to discussions about imperial succession that involve the entire populace.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 23

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