Japan Protests UN Calls To Allow Women On Imperial Throne

Japan said it would not fund a UN women's rights committee and suspended a member's visit over calls for the nation to change its male-only imperial succession rules.

Chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Thursday that a visit by a member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women would be called off, and financial contributions not made.

In October, the UN committee said Japan should "guarantee the equality of women and men in the succession to the throne" in line with "good practices" in other monarchies.

Japan demanded that the committee withdraw its recommendation, saying that the right to succeed the throne was unrelated to human rights and gender discrimination.

Only the sons of royal fathers can become emperor in Japan.

The rule has prompted questions of succession within the ancient imperial family, with Emperor Naruhito's heir apparent just a few years younger than he is, and the only youthful member in line being 18-year-old Prince Hisahito.

Japan voluntarily gives between 20 to 30 million yen ($130,000 to $194,000) every year to the UN High Commissioner, which administers the women's rights committee.

None of Japan's contribution has gone to the committee since at least 2005, according to the foreign ministry, making this week's funding decision essentially symbolic.

Opinion surveys show that many Japanese voters are sympathetic to the idea of letting women ascend the throne.

But traditionalists say that would fundamentally alter Japan as a nation, and parliamentary discussions on how to address succession have so far reached no conclusions.

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