European/Japan royal marriages

[monica17]

This is fairly recent..... a high-ranking member of the IHA said that if Princess Aiko studied abroad, falls in love with a blue-eyed foreigner and marries him, it will be a DISASTER. Of course, this statement is general, in the sense that it didn't say whether a blue-eyed foreigner prince is acceptable.

It certainly looks like inter-racial or marriage to a non-Japanese is taboo, or at least not the practice, for the imperial family.

[CrownPrinceLorenzo]

The IHA is full of *censored*!

If Princess Aiko is raised just like how the other Princes and Princesses have been raised, she will marry a Japanese man.

None of the Princes married a foreign women, none of the Princesses married foreign men. I mean, the Princesses would lose their titles anyway, yet they still married Japanese commoners.

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by monica17

This is fairly recent..... a high-ranking member of the IHA said that if Princess Aiko studied abroad, falls in love with a blue-eyed foreigner and marries him, it will be a DISASTER. Of course, this statement is general, in the sense that it didn't say whether a blue-eyed foreigner prince is acceptable.

It certainly looks like inter-racial or marriage to a non-Japanese is taboo, or at least not the practice, for the imperial family.

This is so totally stupid. Why they seem to think this would be a danger for a crown princess but not a crown prince is one of those things that beggars belief.

[bbb]

i love this forem for all the interesting things u learn. thanks so much for the information.
from what little i know of the culture, it would never be permitted. i don't believe (the evil iha) will let PA out of Japan for her education, heaven forbid she end up like her mother (and not a robot to their rules)

[monica17]

Oh, sorry! That remark about the unacceptability of Aiko (as an empress) marrying a blue-eyed foreigner and having the son become emperor wasn't made by the IHA but a former trade minister and MP. He was yakking about racial purity. So, not the IHA but its ally, the conservatives.

I hope Aiko does get educated abroad. One of imperial princesses is studying in Scotland right now.

[mandyy]

Originally Posted by monica17

One of imperial princesses is studying in Scotland right now.

Yes, Princess Tsuguko of Takamado (the eldest daughter of Princess Hisako of Takamado) is currently studying at the University of Edinburgh.

[Hereditary Mapmaker]

As modern as Japan is in areas of fashion, electronics, technology, etc., this is one area where a greater portion of the rest of the world has seen evolution. Most of the Western European and even some of the Eastern cultures have experienced more cultural diversity, including interacial marriage among royal/noble families. Comments about who Princess Aiko may marry and the outcomes are steeped in that lack of evolution as well as a level of close-mindedness. In additon, the IHA may be experiencing resistance to a new situation. Even if the Russian princesses had married into the Japanese royal family and taken new names, titles, styles, religions, etc., historically, male royals didn't usually do so (until The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Henrik, etc.) The idea that a Christian/Muslim/whatever man would change to the Shinto faith would be a new idea to the IHA. Could it happen? Sure. Anything is possible. Luckily for them, Prince Akishino & Princess Kiko have given a few months more to avoid the entire situation.

Mapper

[Elspeth]

I don't think it's just the religious aspect; when they were discussing the possible reform, the experts consulted included geneticists who were arguing that the male-line succession should continue because it's the only way to preserve the Y chromosome (which is passed pretty much intact from generation to generation of men, unlike most of the chromosomes). Other geneticists pointed out that the very intactness of the chromosome meant that it would be shared by many people who were no longer royal, and so the "imperial Y chromosome" really wasn't all that exclusive anyway.

[Gutsy]

It is currently Imperial House Law that any female of the Imperial House who marries thereby relinquishes her membership in the Imperial Family. We saw that in the former Princess Sayako's case recently. This way the size of the Imperial Family is limited as was the intention of the Occupation Authorities after WWII. The Japanese have no precedent of a "commoner" male marrying into the Imperial House.
As for a royal marriage involving a foreigner: e.g, an Imperial Prince marrying a foreign Royalty is would be a direct confrontation with the traditionally very strong Japanese notion of the Imperial Family being exclusively Japanese.

[foiegrass]

well, even if a japanese princess marries a European Prince.
Her status would be higher right?
I mean, HIH compared to HRH.

[Warren]

Originally Posted by foiegrass

well, even if a japanese princess marries a European Prince.
Her status would be higher right?
I mean, HIH compared to HRH.

Her style of Imperial Highness would be higher, but she would take the rank of her husband.
The style doesn't equate to the pecking order. Simple example: HSH Prince Albert of Monaco is higher in rank than HRH The Prince of Wales because Albert is a reigning monarch.

[Elspeth]

If a Japanese princess marries a European prince, she'd be HRH, not HIH, wouldn't she? As long as Japanese princesses cease to be members of the royal family once they marry, she'd no longer have her HIH. Sayako doesn't, so the wife of HRH Prince xxxx also wouldn't.

[sara1981]

i would agree with posts!

im sure Japanese Royals would getting married with nice girls or guys in area Japan,China,Korea,whatever cities hometown who born as native they can married into royals of Japanese Royals and approve of parents the Empress and emperor to getting dating they later married.

im sure little Princess Aiko will become good Empress one days after her grandmother and dad one days but she will go lots of school and switzerlands for finished school and maybe military school i think so.