Constitutional Imperialism in Japan/Appendix 6

It is scarcely necessary to reproduce in full the Imperial House Law, promulgated at the same time as the Constitution; it will be sufficient to pick out a few of the most important points.^[1]

A large number of the articles (in all LXII in number) deal with the personal affairs and relations of the Imperial Family. It is perfectly natural that, according to Article XXXV,

The members of the Imperial Family shall be under the control of the Emperor.

Marriages of the members of the Imperial Family shall be subject to the sanction of the Emperor (Article XL).

No member of the Imperial Family can adopt any one as his son (Article XLII).

When a member of the Imperial family wishes to travel beyond the boundaries of the Empire, he shall first obtain the sanction of the Emperor (Article XLIII).

A female member of the Imperial Family who has married a subject shall be excluded from the membership of the Imperial Family (Article XLIV).

Article I says:

The Imperial Throne of Japan shall be succeeded to by male descendants in the male line of Imperial Ancestors.

Article II specifies that

The Imperial Throne shall he succeeded to by the Imperial eldest son.

Articles III–IX specify very particularly the line of succession in case there is no Imperial eldest son, or grandson, or any descendant, or Imperial brother or his descendants, or Imperial uncle or his descendants. It is well provided that there shall be no break in the line, so that, as is stated in the Preamble, “Our House shall be founded in everlasting strength and its dignity be forever maintained.”

Article XI directs that

The ceremonies of coronation shall be performed and a Grand Coronation Banquet shall be held at Kyoto.

In accordance with that article, the present Emperor was officially crowned in Kyoto in November, 1915.

​Article XII reads as follows:

Upon an ascension to the throne, a new era shall be inaugurated, and the name of it shall remain unchanged during the whole reign.

Accordingly, when the present Emperor ascended the throne in 1912, the Meiji era gave way to the Taisho era, or Era of Great Righteousness.

The Emperor, the Imperial eldest son (Crown Prince) and the Imperial grandson attain their majority at the age of eighteen; but all other members of the Imperial Family do not attain their majority till the age of twenty.

The Emperor, the Grand Empress-Dowager, the Empress-Dowager and the Empress are to be addressed as “Majesty” (His, Her, or Your); while all other members of the Imperial Family are to be addressed as “Highness” (His, Her, or Your).