Ōke

The Kyu-Miyake (旧宮家, literally former Miyake), also known as the Old Imperial Family (旧皇族), were branches of the Japanese Imperial Family created from branches of the Fushimi-no-miya house. All but one of the ōke were formed by the descendants of Prince Fushimi Kuniye. The ōke were stripped of their membership in the Imperial Family by the American Occupation Authorities in October 1947, as part of the abolition of collateral imperial houses. After that point, only the immediate family of Hirohito and those of his three brothers retained membership in the Imperial Family. However, unofficial heads of these collateral families still exist for most and are listed herein.

In recent years, conservatives have proposed to reinstate several of the former imperial branches or else to allow the imperial family to adopt male members of the former princely houses, as a solution to the Japanese succession controversy.

The kyu-miyake were, in order of founding:

  1. 梨本 Nashimoto (extinct)
  2. 久邇 Kuni
  3. 山階 Yamashina (extinct)
  4. 華頂 Kachō or Kwachō (extinct)
  5. 北白川 Kitashirakawa
  6. 東伏見 Higashifushimi or Komatsu (小松) (extinct)
  7. 賀陽 Kaya
  8. 朝香 Asaka
  9. 東久邇 Higashikuni
  10. 竹田 Takeda

Unless otherwise stated, all princes listed herein are the sons of their predecessor.

Nashimoto-no-miya

The Nashimoto-no-miya house was formed by Prince Moriosa, son of Prince Fushimi Sadayoshi (father of Prince Fushimi Kuniye)

NameBornSucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Nashimoto Moriosa
(梨本宮 守脩親王, Nashi-no-miya Moriosa-shinnō)		18191870.1885
2Prince Nashimoto Kikumaro
(山階宮菊麿王, Nashimoto-no-miya Kikumaro-ō)		1873188518851908grand-nephew of Moriosa; resigned to return to the Yamashina household
3Prince Nashimoto Morimasa
(梨本宮守正王, Nashimoto-no-miya Morimasa-ō)		1874188519471951cousin of Kikumaro and fourth son of Kuni-no-miya Asahiko

Kuni-no-miya

The Kuni-no-miya house was formed by Prince Asahiko, fourth son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye

NameBornSucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Kuni Asahiko
(久邇宮 朝彦親王, Kuni-no-miya Asahiko shinnō)		18241863.1891became shinnō in 1871
2Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi
(久邇宮 邦彦王, Kuni-no-miya Kuniyoshi ō)		18731891.1929father of Empress Kojun
3Prince Kuni Asaakira
(久邇宮 朝融王, Kuni-no-miya Asaakira ō)		1901192919471959
4Kuni Kuniaki
(久邇 邦昭)		19291959..

Yamashina-no-miya

The Yamashina-no-miya house was formed by Prince Akira, eldest son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye.

NameBornSucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Yamashina Akira
(山階宮 晃親王, Yamashina-no-miya Akira shinnō)		18161864.1898
2Prince Yamashina Kikumaro
(山階宮 菊麿王, Yamashina-no-miya Kikumaro-ō)		18731898.1908
3Prince Yamashina Takehiko
(山階宮 武彦王, Yamashina-no-miya Takehito-ō)		1898190819471987

The Yamashina-no-miya became extinct with the death of Yamashina Takehiko.

Kwachō-no-miya

The Kwachō-no-miya (or Kachō-no-miya) house was formed by Prince Hirotsune, son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye.

NameBornSucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Kwacho Hirotsune
(華頂宮博経親王, Kwachō-no-miya Hirosune shinnō)		18511868.1876
2Prince Kwacho Hiroatsu
(華頂宮博厚親王, Kwachō-no-miya Hiroatsu shinnō)		18751876.1883
3Prince Kwacho Hiroyasu
(華頂宮博恭親王, Kwachō-no-miya Hiroyasu-shinnō)		1875188319041946
4Prince Kwacho Hirotada
(華頂宮博忠王, Kwachō-no-miya Hirotada-ō)		19021904.1924
XMarquis Kwacho Hironobu
(華頂博信, Kwachō Hironobu)		1905192419471970

The Kwacho-no-miya became extinct with the death of Prince Kwacho Hirotada. The line of descent was continued through the kazoku peerage under Kwacho Hironobu.

Kitashirakawa-no-miya

The Kitashirakawa-no-miya house was formed by Prince Satonari, thirteenth son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye

NameBornSucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Kitashirakawa Satonari
(北白川宮 智成親王, Kitashirakawa-no-miya Satonari shinnō)		18441872.1872
2Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa
(北白川宮 能久親王, Kitashirakawa-no-miya Yoshihisa-shinnō)		18471872.1895brother of above
3Prince Kitashirakawa Naruhisa
(北白川宮 成久王, Kitashirakawa-no-miya Naruhisa-ō)		18871895.1923
4Prince Kitashirakawa Nagahisa
(北白川宮 永久王, Kitashirakawa-no-miya Nagahisa-ō)		19101923.1940
5Prince Kitashirakawa Michihisa
(北白川宮 道久王, Kitashirakawa-no-miya Michihisa-ō)		193719401947.Kitashirakawa Michihisa after 1947

Higashifushimi-no-miya / Komatsu-no-miya

The Higashifushimi-no-miya house was formed by Prince Yoshiaki, seventh son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye.

NameBornSucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Higashifushimi Yoshiaki
(東伏見宮 嘉彰親王, Higashifushimi no miya Yoshiaki-shinnō)
Prince Komatsu Akihito (小松宮 彰仁親王, Komatsu-no-miya Akihito-shinnō)		1846
X		1867
1872		1872
.		X
1903		changed name in 1872
2Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito
(東伏見宮 依仁親王, Higashifushimi no miya Yorihito-ō)		18761903.1922brother of Akihito
reverted name back to Higashifushimi

In 1931, Emperor Hirohito directed his brother-in-law, Prince Kuni Kunihide, to leave Imperial Family status and become Count Higashifushimi Kunihide (hakushaku under the kazoku peerage system), to prevent the Higashifushimi name from extinction. Dowager Princess Higashifushimi Kaneko became a commoner on 14 October 1947. She died in Tokyo in 1955.

Kaya-no-miya

The Kaya-no-miya house was formed by Prince Kuninori, second son of Prince Kuni Asahiko (first Kuni-no-miya, see above)

NameBornSucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Kaya Kuninori
(賀陽宮 邦憲王, Kaya-no-miya Kuninori shinnō)		18671896.1909Kaya-no-miya was a personal title until 1900
2Prince Kaya Tsunenori
(賀陽宮 恒憲王, Kaya-no-miya Tsunenori-ō)		1900190919471978Kaya Tsunenori after 1947
3Prince Kaya Nobuhiko
(賀陽宮 信彦王, Kaya-no-miya Nobuhiko-ō)		19221978.1986
4Kaya Harunori
(賀陽 治憲)		19261987..brother of Nobuhiko; career diplomat

Asaka-no-miya

The Asaka-no-miya house was formed by Prince Yasuhiko, eighth son of Prince Kuni Asahiko.

NameBornSucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Asaka Yasuhiko
(朝香宮 鳩彦王, Asaka-no-miya Yasuhiko-ō)		1887190619471981
XAsaka Takahiko19121981.1994
XAsaka Tomohiko19441994.

Higashikuni-no-miya

The Higashikuni-no-miya house was formed by Prince Naruhiko, ninth son of Prince Kuni Asahiko.

NameBornSucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko
(東久邇宮 稔彦王, Higashikuni-no-miya Naruhiko-ō)		1887190619471990
XPrince Higashikuni Morihiro
(東久邇宮 盛厚王, Higashikuni no miya Morihiro ō)		19161947.1969
2Prince Higashikuni Nobuhiko
(東久邇宮 信彦王, Higashikuni-no-miya Nobukiko-ō)		19451990..grandson of Naruhiko, son of Morihiro

Prince Higashikuni Nobuhiko became simply "Higashikuni Nobuhiko" after the abolition of the Japanese aristocracy during the American occupation of Japan in 1946.

Takeda-no-miya

The Takeda-no-miya house was formed by Prince Tsunehisa, eldest son of Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa (second Kitashirakawa-no-miya).

NameBorn .SucceededRetiredDiedNotes
1Prince Takeda Tsunehisa
(竹田宮 恒久王, Takeda-no-miya Tsunehisa-ō)		18821906.1919
2Prince Takeda Tsuneyoshi
(竹田宮 恒徳王, Takeda-no-miya Tsuneyoshi-ō)		1909191919471992
3Prince Takeda Tsunetada
(竹田 恒正, Takeda-no-miya Tsunetada-ō)		19401992..

Proposal for reinstatement

In January 2005, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi set up a panel consisting of 10 experts from various fields to discuss the succession law and possible ways to ensure stable succession in the imperial family. At that point, no male heir had been born to the Imperial family in 40 years, prompting concerns that there wouldn't be anyone to succeed Crown Prince Naruhito after he became emperor. The panel recommended giving eligibility to females and their descendants, that the first child, regardless of sex, be given priority in ascension, and that female family members who marry commoners be allowed to retain their imperial family member status. Itsuo Sonobe, deputy chairman of the 10-member government panel and a former Supreme Court justice, said that one of the panel´s main concerns had been to find a solution that would win the people's support.[1]

Media opinion polls showed an overwhelming majority favoring the change, but the proposed revision was met with fierce opposition from conservatives, who said that preservation of a male line was imperative to ensure that the Japanese imperial bloodline's Y chromosome (which only males carry) would be transmitted to subsequent generations of emperors, maintaining the unbroken line stretching back into antiquity. Tsuneyasu Takeda, a member of the former Takeda-no-miya collateral house and author of a book entitled "The Untold Truth of Imperial Family Members," proposed to maintain the male line by restoring the former princely houses or by allowing imperial family members to adopt males from those families. Although Takeda has written that such men should feel a responsibility to maintain the royal house, he said he would find it daunting if asked to play that role himself.[2] According to Takeda, the heads of the former court families agreed in late 2004, just before Koizumi's advisory panel started its discussions, not to speak out on the issue and some of them told him to "not get involved in political issues."[3] Opponents of the reinstatement of former collateral branches, like Liberal Democratic Party politician Yōichi Masuzoe, argued that it would favor members of families with tenuous blood links to long-ago emperors over contemporary female descendants of recent sovereigns.[4]

During a series of hearings on the succession problem in early 2012, Yoshiko Sakurai and Akira Momochi, conservative members of the panel of experts, rejected proposals for female members of the imperial family to be allowed to retain their royal status after marriage and create new branches of the imperial family, and instead suggested revising the Imperial Household Law so that male descendants of former imperial families which renounced their royal status in 1947 be allowed to return to the imperial family as adoptees.[5] Another proposal was to reinstate four of the former imperial families,[6] a solution opposed by the government on the grounds that it would not enjoy public support.[7] Government sources told the Yomiuri Shimbun in May 2012 that the suggestion to reinstate men from the former princely houses as imperial family members through adoption had been unexpected.[8] The hearings are still under way as of late spring 2012.

References

  1. ↑ Onishi, Norimitsu (December 27, 2005). "What Japan's Aiko Lacks: The Royal Y Chromosome". The New York Times.
  2. ↑ "Male-Only Imperial Line Backed". Gulf Daily News. February 17, 2006.
  3. ↑ http://transnews.exblog.jp/2462343
  4. ↑ http://www.outlookseries.com/news/Science/801.htm
  5. ↑ "2 experts at gov't hearing oppose creating female imperial branches". The Mainichi. April 11, 2012.
  6. ↑ Warnock, Eleanor (April 11, 2012). "Japanese Journalist Weighs in on the Princess Problem". The Wall Street Journal.
  7. ↑ Takeshi Okamura and Katsumi Takahashi (March 2, 2012). "Imperial Family Talks Begin: Should Female Members Retain Royal Status after Marriage?". The Daily Yomiuri.
  8. ↑ Yutaka Ito, Katsumi Takahashi and Takeshi Okimura (May 4, 2012). "Imperial Revision Draft Set for Autumn Release". The Daily Yomiuri.

Bibliography

  • Fujitani,T. Splendid Monarchy: Power and Pageantry in Modern Japan. University of California Press; Reprint edition (1998). ISBN 0-520-21371-8
  • Lebra, Sugiyama Takie. Above the Clouds: Status Culture of the Modern Japanese Nobility. University of California Press (1995). ISBN 0-520-07602-8

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