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

EDITORIAL: Liechtenstein shows succession to throne not limited to males

（社説）君主の継承　「男子限定」を問い直す

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

世襲の君主継承を男性に限る国が、欧州から姿を消す。
　立憲君主国リヒテンシュタインが、性別にかかわらず第１子が継ぐ制度への変更を発表した。侯爵家の家法を改正し、今後生まれる世代から適用する。家法に関する議決権も女性に認める。
　スウェーデンや英国など欧州の立憲君主国の大半が男女を問わない長子継承に移行した。スペインなど男性優先の国は残るが、女性を排除する国はなくなる。
　人口約４万人のリヒテンシュタインでは、代々侯爵家が君主を務める。伝統を重んじる保守的な国で、女性の国政参政権を認めたのは欧州で最も遅い１９８４年だった。
　なぜ、４００年以上続いた制度を改めたのか。
　同国のアロイス皇太子は演説で、国と侯爵家を担う責任を「その務めに最もよく準備された人物に委ねたい」と説明した。
　君主の子は幼いころから国と侯爵家について学ぶ。女性を初めから排除せず、第１子を将来の君主として育てる方が理にかなう。制度の将来を見据えた合理的な判断といえよう。
　皇太子は「進歩と継続のバランスが重要」とも語った。うまく機能してきたものを守りながら、時代の変化にも応じる。今回の決定には、そんな姿勢が表れている。
　日本にとっても、じつは遠い話ではない。今回の皇室典範改正を検討する土台になった２０２１年の政府有識者会議では、男系男子継承を続けていたリヒテンシュタインが参考例とされた。女性が結婚後も侯爵家に残る仕組みや、継承者がいなくなった場合に養子を迎える制度である。
　７月の改正にも、女性皇族の婚姻後の身分保持と、旧宮家の男系男子を迎える養子制度が盛り込まれた。
　リヒテンシュタインの君主と日本の天皇は単純には比べられない。だが、世襲制度を時代にどう適応させるかという課題は共通する。
　日本でも、かつてこの点を正面から議論した。０５年の政府有識者会議は、伝統は不変ではなく、各時代の選択の積み重ねが新たな伝統を形づくる面があると指摘した。何を守り、何を改めれば次代につなげられるのか。リヒテンシュタインの決断は、その問いを改めて日本に突きつける。
　社説は７月、女性・女系天皇への道を含め、皇位継承や天皇制のあり方について開かれた議論を求めた。日本が参考にしてきたリヒテンシュタインの転換を、皇位継承のあり方を国民的な議論に戻す契機としたい。

(2026年8月23日)