The only child of Emperor Naruhito, 59, and Empress Masako, 55, is Princess Aiko but the 17-year-old is not allowed to take over from her father at the end of his reign as emperor under current law.
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According to the Imperial House Law, "the Imperial Throne shall be succeeded to by a male offspring in the male line belonging to the Imperial Lineage."
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government has no plans to change the law to allow women to take the throne.
Next in line will be Crown Prince Akishino, 53, Naruhito's younger brother, followed by Prince Hisahito, 13, the only son of Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, 53. The couple also has two daughters, Mako, 27, and Kako, 24.
The imperial family reflects shrinking, ageing Japan. The number of its members has dropped from 24 to 18 since 2005, when the emperor's only daughter, Princess Nori, became a commoner after marrying a man outside imperial circles.
Females like Princess Nori, who is now known as Sayako Kuroda, have to give up their status as members of the imperial household once they marry non-royals.
Prince Hisahito is the only male in his generation and the family has six unmarried female members. As a consequence, the number of imperial family members will fall further and the current crisis of imperial succession is expected to grow more acute.
Japan has had 10 female emperors since Empress Suiko, whose reign was between 592 and 628 AD. The country has not seen a female on the Chrysanthemum Throne for about 250 years since Empress Gosakuramachi (1762-1770).
Australian Associated Press
