Japanese public backs a female emperor while Takaichi pushes to expand pool of male heirs

Japan’s public has once again signalled strong support for a woman ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne, even as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the country’s first female leader, is pushing in a different direction. A Mainichi newspaper poll published on April 14, 2026, found that 61 per cent of respondents believed the law should be changed to allow a woman to become emperor. Only 9 per cent said the throne should remain reserved for a man. But Takaichi has signalled that she wants to shore up the existing imperial system by expanding its pool of male heirs.