Imperial Household Council
Encyclopedia
is a ten-member body to approve the statutory matters on the Imperial House of Japan
. The Council was established in 1947, when the current Imperial Household Law
took effect.
to approve of:
The Imperial Household Council has been convoked seven times hitherto. At each time, the Council meeting was headed by the Prime Minister and gave a unanimous consent and approval to the agenda.
lost their Imperial status in 1947 with an approval of the Council.
No princess of the blood needs a marriage approval unless she marries a member of the Imperial House, because she will automatically become a commoner upon marriage and her husband will never be a member of the Imperial House under the rule of patrilineal succession. Six princesses have married without the Council's approval since it was established.
Article XXX of the Imperial Household Law provides that other ten members shall be appointed as reserve members of the Council.
The reserve members are as follows:
. They vote to elect two reserve members from the Imperial Family in the same way.
Princess Yori ceased to be a reserve member of the Council because she got married and became a commoner on 10 October 1952. Princess Takamatsu became a reserve member in replacement for her.
since the Council's establishment. Prince Naruhito was voted out. It was for the first time since 1963 that the crown prince
was not elected as a member or reserve member of the Council.
On 5 September 2007 empress Michiko, six prince
s and nine princess
es voted to elect Prince and Princess Hitachi as members of the Council, and Princess Mikasa and Prince Akishino as reserve members. Prince Mikasa was reported to have excused himself for his old age in advance. Crown Prince Naruhito was not elected again while his brother, Prince Akishino was voted in for the first time. The next election will be held in September 2011.
On 7 September 2011 the regular election was held by the 18 adult members of the imperial family. This time the elections were not held at the Imperial Palace, but in an Agency conference room to reduce energy consumption. Both the members and reserve members were re-elected.
Imperial House of Japan
The , also referred to as the Imperial Family or the Yamato Dynasty, comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present Constitution of Japan, the emperor is the symbol of the state and unity of the people...
. The Council was established in 1947, when the current Imperial Household Law
Imperial Household Law
is a statute in Japanese law that governs the line of imperial succession, the membership of the imperial family, and several other matters pertaining to the administration of the Imperial Household.-Passage of the Law:...
took effect.
Functions
The Imperial Household Law provides that the Council shall be summoned by the Prime MinisterPrime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
to approve of:
- MarriageMarriageMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
of any male member of the Imperial Family (Article X) - Forfeiture of the Imperial status of a member of the Imperial Family (Articles XI, XIII and XIV)
- Changing of the order of successionOrder of successionAn order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
of an heir who suffers from incurable disease (Article III) - RegencyRegentA regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
(Articles XVI, XVIII and XX)
The Imperial Household Council has been convoked seven times hitherto. At each time, the Council meeting was headed by the Prime Minister and gave a unanimous consent and approval to the agenda.
Forfeiture of the Imperial status
Fifty-one membersOke
The , were branches of the Japanese Imperial Family created from branches of the Fushimi-no-miya house. All but one of the ōke were formed by the descendants of Prince Fushimi Kuniye. The ōke were stripped of their membership in the Imperial Family by the American Occupation Authorities in...
lost their Imperial status in 1947 with an approval of the Council.
Approval of marriage
The Council has discussed and approved of six marriages since its establishment.| Date of approval | Marriage between |
|---|---|
| 27 November 1958 | Prince Akihito Akihito is the current , the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He acceded to the throne in 1989.-Name:In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to . In... and Michiko Shoda Empress Michiko of Japan Empress Michiko of Japan is the wife and consort of Emperor Akihito, the current monarch of Japan. She was the first commoner to marry into the Japanese Imperial Family. As crown princess and later as empress consort, she has become the most visible and widely-travelled imperial consort in... |
| 28 February 1964 | Prince Masahito Prince Hitachi is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the younger brother of current Emperor Akihito. He is the second son and sixth born child of HIM Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun and is fourth in line to the Chrysanthemum throne... and Hanako Tsugaru Princess Hitachi , née was born on 19 July 1940. She is the fourth daughter of Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru, a descendant of the Tsugaru daimyō of Tsugaru Domain , née was born on 19 July 1940. She is the fourth daughter of Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru, a descendant of the Tsugaru daimyō of Tsugaru Domain , née was born... |
| 18 April 1980 | Prince Tomohito Prince Tomohito of Mikasa , is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the eldest son of the current HIH Prince Mikasa and HIH Princess Mikasa. He is a first cousin of Emperor Akihito, and is the heir apparent to the princely house of Mikasa-no-miya... and Nobuko Aso Princess Tomohito of Mikasa Nobuko, Princess Tomohito of Mikasa was born on 9 April 1955. She was born as Nobuko Aso, the third daughter of the late Takakichi Asō. Her father was chairman of Asō Cement Co., her mother Kazuko was the daughter of former prime minister Shigeru Yoshida... |
| 1 August 1984 | Prince Norihito Prince Takamado was a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the third son of HIH Prince Mikasa and HIH Princess Mikasa. He was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito, and formerly was seventh in line to the Chrysanthemum throne.-Education:... and Hisako Tottori Princess Takamado is, through marriage, a member of the Japanese Imperial Family.-Biography:She is the eldest daughter of Japanese industrialist Shigejiro Tottori. Hisako accompanied her father to England, where he was transferred for work, and while still a child became fluent in the English language... |
| 12 September 1989 | Prince Fumihito Prince Akishino Fumihito, The Prince Akishino is a member of the Japanese imperial family... and Kiko Kawashima Princess Akishino , formerly is the wife of Prince Akishino, the second son of the Emperor Akihito and the Empress Michiko of Japan. The daughter of a university professor, she became the second commoner to marry into the imperial family; her mother-in-law, the Empress, was the first in 1959... |
| 19 January 1993 | Prince Naruhito Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan is the eldest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, which makes him the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan.-Early life and education:... and Masako Owada Masako, Crown Princess of Japan is the wife of Crown Prince Naruhito, the first son of the Emperor Akihito and the Empress Michiko, and a member of the Imperial House of Japan through marriage.-Early life and education:... |
No princess of the blood needs a marriage approval unless she marries a member of the Imperial House, because she will automatically become a commoner upon marriage and her husband will never be a member of the Imperial House under the rule of patrilineal succession. Six princesses have married without the Council's approval since it was established.
Members of the Imperial Household Council
Article XXVIII of the Imperial Household Law provides that the Imperial Household Council shall consist of:- Prime Minister
- Two members of the Imperial Family
- The SpeakerSpeaker (politics)The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
and Vice-Speaker of the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives of JapanThe is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,... - The PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and Vice-President of the House of CouncillorsHouse of CouncillorsThe is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or designation of the prime minister, the House of Representatives... - Grand StewardGrand StewardThe is an official within the Imperial Household Agency of Japan. He is the senior official of the Imperial Household, and is responsible for managing the part of the household staff who are omote, or "outside the house"; these employees serve as drivers, cooks, gardeners, or administrative...
of the Imperial Household AgencyImperial Household AgencyThe is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal... - Chief JusticeChief JusticeThe Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
and a justice of the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of JapanThe Supreme Court of Japan , located in Chiyoda, Tokyo is the highest court in Japan. It has ultimate judicial authority to interpret the Japanese constitution and decide questions of national law...
Article XXX of the Imperial Household Law provides that other ten members shall be appointed as reserve members of the Council.
- Minister of StateMinister of StateMinister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
- in most cases, Chief Cabinet SecretaryChief Cabinet Secretary__notoc__The of Japan is a Minister of State who is responsible for directing the Cabinet Secretariat. The main function of Chief Cabinet Secretary is to coordinate the policies of ministries and agencies in the executive branch... - Two members of the Imperial Family
- Two members of the House of Representatives
- Two members of the House of Councillors
- An official of the Imperial Household Agency - in most cases, Vice-Grand Steward
- Two justices of the Supreme Court
Incumbent members of the Council in order of precedence
- Masahito, Prince HitachiPrince Hitachiis a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the younger brother of current Emperor Akihito. He is the second son and sixth born child of HIM Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun and is fourth in line to the Chrysanthemum throne...
- Hanako, Princess HitachiPrincess Hitachi, née was born on 19 July 1940. She is the fourth daughter of Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru, a descendant of the Tsugaru daimyō of Tsugaru Domain , née was born on 19 July 1940. She is the fourth daughter of Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru, a descendant of the Tsugaru daimyō of Tsugaru Domain , née was born...
- Yōhei KōnoYohei Konois a Japanese politician and a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from November 2003 until August 2009, when the LDP lost its majority in the 2009 election...
, Speaker of the House of Representatives - Takahiro YokomichiTakahiro Yokomichiis a Japanese politician who belongs to the Democratic Party of Japan and is a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Sapporo, Hokkaidō and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was elected to the first of his five terms in the House of Representatives in 1969 as a...
, Vice-Speaker of the House of Representatives - Satsuki EdaSatsuki Edais the first Opposition member to serve as the President of the House of Councillors in Japan. Eda had served for three terms in the House of Councillors before his election as President on August 7, 2007 after the success of the Democratic Party in the July 2007 election for the Japanese House of...
, President of the House of Councillors - Akiko SantoAkiko Santois a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Tokyo and graduate of Bunka Gakuin, she was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1974 after working as an actress and reporter.She was State Minister and...
, Vice-President of the House of Councillors - Hatoyama Yukio, Prime Minister
- Shingo HaketaShingo Haketais a Japanese bureaucrat. He was installed as Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency on 1 April 2005.Appointed by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, promoter of absolute primogeniture, Haketa is known as a supporter of the report submitted by the Advisory Council on the Imperial House Law,...
, Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency - Hironobu TakesakiHironobu Takesakiis a Japanese lawyer and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan. He is a graduate of the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law and of Columbia Law School....
, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court - Tokiyasu FujitaTokiyasu Fujitawas a member of the Supreme Court of Japan and an administrative law professor at Tohoku University. He retired from the Supreme Court on April 5, 2010, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.-References:...
, justice of the Supreme Court
The reserve members are as follows:
- Yuriko, Princess MikasaPrincess Mikasawas second daughter of Viscount Masanari Takagi, and through marriage, a member of the Imperial House of Japan.-Biography:Princess Mikasa graduated from Gakushuin Women's Academy in 1941. She became engaged to the Takahito, Prince Mikasa on 3 October 1941, with the wedding held on 22 October...
- Fumihito, Prince AkishinoPrince AkishinoFumihito, The Prince Akishino is a member of the Japanese imperial family...
- Yoshirō MoriYoshiro Moriis a Japanese politician who served as the 85th and 86th Prime Minister of Japan starting at 5 April 2000 ending 26 April 2001. Described as having "the heart of a flea and the brain of a shark," he was an unpopular prime minister mainly remembered today for his many gaffes and situationally...
, member of the House of Representatives - Kozo WatanabeKozo Watanabeis a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Tajima, Fukushima and graduate of Waseda University, he was elected to the first of his two terms in the assembly of Fukushima Prefecture in 1959 and then to the House of...
, member of the House of Representatives - Kenji HirataKenji Hiratais a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Ōita, Ōita, he was elected for the first time in 1995 as a member of the New Frontier Party....
, member of the House of Councillors - Hidehisa OtsujiHidehisa Otsujiwas the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in the Cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi.- Upbringing :He was born in Kaseda City in Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. His father was killed in World War II in fighting near the Solomon Islands....
, member of the House of Councillors - Nobutaka MachimuraNobutaka Machimurais a Japanese politician. He is a member of the House of Representatives of Japan and a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was Chief Cabinet Secretary in the government of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda from 2007 to 2008.- Career :...
, Chief Cabinet Secretary - Noriyuki Kazaoka, Vice-Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency
- Tatsuo KainakaTatsuo Kainakais a member of the Supreme Court of Japan.- References :...
, justice of the Supreme Court - Tokuji IzumiTokuji Izumiis a Japanese attorney . He was a career judge and a Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan. Following his retirement, Izumi participated in a public campaign against the re-election of two of his former colleagues, Justices Wakui and Nasu, in protest against the votes they had cast in an electoral...
, justice of the Supreme Court
Kōzoku Giin (Imperial Representative)
, literally Imperial Representative, refers to the Imperial Family members elected as members of the Imperial Household Council by mutual election among the adult members of the Imperial Family excluding the EmperorEmperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
. They vote to elect two reserve members from the Imperial Family in the same way.
| Term of office starts on | |Reserve members | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 September 1947 | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu Prince Takamatsu was the third son of HIM Emperor Taishō and HIM Empress Teimei and a younger brother of the HIM Emperor Shōwa . He became heir to the Takamatsu-no-miya , one of the four shinnōke or branches of the imperial family entitled to inherit the Chrysanthemum throne in default of a direct heir... |
Setsuko, Princess Chichibu Princess Chichibu was the wife of Prince Chichibu of Japan.Princess Chichibu was born as Matsudaira Setsuko in Walton on Thames, England. She was the daughter of Matsudaira Tsuneo , Japanese ambassador to the United States and later to Great Britain , and still later, Imperial Household Minister and his wife, the... |
Takahito, Prince Mikasa Prince Mikasa is a member of the Imperial House of Japan. He is the fourth and youngest son of Emperor Taishō and Empress Teimei. His eldest brother was Emperor Shōwa , and is the only surviving paternal uncle of Emperor Akihito. With the death of his sister-in-law, Princess Takamatsu , on 17 December 2004, he... |
Kikuko, Princess Takamatsu Princess Takamatsu Princess Takamatsu of Japan, , known informally as Princess Kikuko, was a member of the Japanese imperial family. The Princess was the widow of Prince Takamatsu , the third son of the Emperor Taishō and the Empress Teimei... |
| 16 September 1951 | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Setsuko, Princess Chichibu | Atsuko, Princess Yori Atsuko Ikeda , is the wife of Marquis Takamasa Ikeda and fourth daughter of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun. As such, she is the older sister to the present Emperor of Japan, Emperor Akihito.- Biography :... (until 10 October 1952) |
| (12 October 1952) | Kikuko, Princess Takamatsu | |||
| 16 September 1955 | Setsuko, Princess Chichibu | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu | Kikuko, Princess Takamatsu | Takahito, Prince Mikasa |
| 16 September 1959 | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu | Setsuko, Princess Chichibu | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Kikuko, Princess Takamatsu |
| 16 September 1963 | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Yuriko, Princess Mikasa Princess Mikasa was second daughter of Viscount Masanari Takagi, and through marriage, a member of the Imperial House of Japan.-Biography:Princess Mikasa graduated from Gakushuin Women's Academy in 1941. She became engaged to the Takahito, Prince Mikasa on 3 October 1941, with the wedding held on 22 October... |
Akihito, Crown Prince Akihito is the current , the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He acceded to the throne in 1989.-Name:In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to . In... |
| 16 September 1967 | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Setsuko, Princess Chichibu | Akihito, Crown Prince |
| 16 September 1971 | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Setsuko, Princess Chichibu | Akihito, Crown Prince |
| 16 September 1975 | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Setsuko, Princess Chichibu | Akihito, Crown Prince |
| 16 September 1979 | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Setsuko, Princess Chichibu | Akihito, Crown Prince |
| 16 September 1983 | Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu (died on 3 February 1987) |
Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Setsuko, Princess Chichibu | Akihito, Crown Prince |
| 16 September 1987 | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Akihito, Crown Prince (enthroned on 7 January 1989) |
Masahito, Prince Hitachi Prince Hitachi is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the younger brother of current Emperor Akihito. He is the second son and sixth born child of HIM Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun and is fourth in line to the Chrysanthemum throne... |
Setsuko, Princess Chichibu |
| (5 September 1989) | Masahito, Prince Hitachi | (vacant) | ||
| 16 September 1991 | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Yuriko, Princess Mikasa | Masahito, Prince Hitachi | Naruhito, Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan is the eldest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, which makes him the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan.-Early life and education:... |
| 16 September 1995 | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Yuriko, Princess Mikasa | Masahito, Prince Hitachi | Naruhito, Crown Prince |
| 16 September 1999 | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Yuriko, Princess Mikasa | Naruhito, Crown Prince | Masahito, Prince Hitachi |
| 16 September 2003 | Takahito, Prince Mikasa | Yuriko, Princess Mikasa | Masahito, Prince Hitachi | Hanako, Princess Hitachi |
| 16 September 2007 | Masahito, Prince Hitachi | Hanako, Princess Hitachi | Yuriko, Princess Mikasa | Fumihito, Prince Akishino Prince Akishino Fumihito, The Prince Akishino is a member of the Japanese imperial family... |
| 16 September 2011 | Masahito, Prince Hitachi | Hanako, Princess Hitachi | Yuriko, Princess Mikasa | Fumihito, Prince Akishino |
Princess Yori ceased to be a reserve member of the Council because she got married and became a commoner on 10 October 1952. Princess Takamatsu became a reserve member in replacement for her.
Recent elections
On 3 September 2003, Prince Mikasa was reelected to his fifteenth consecutive term of officeTerm of office
Term of office or term in office refers to the length of time a person serves in a particular office.-Prime Minister:In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister has no term limits...
since the Council's establishment. Prince Naruhito was voted out. It was for the first time since 1963 that the crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
was not elected as a member or reserve member of the Council.
On 5 September 2007 empress Michiko, six prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
s and nine princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
es voted to elect Prince and Princess Hitachi as members of the Council, and Princess Mikasa and Prince Akishino as reserve members. Prince Mikasa was reported to have excused himself for his old age in advance. Crown Prince Naruhito was not elected again while his brother, Prince Akishino was voted in for the first time. The next election will be held in September 2011.
On 7 September 2011 the regular election was held by the 18 adult members of the imperial family. This time the elections were not held at the Imperial Palace, but in an Agency conference room to reduce energy consumption. Both the members and reserve members were re-elected.
External links
- 皇室会議 - Imperial Household Council (Japanese)