The revised Imperial House Law that passed the special Diet session in July took effect on Oct. 24.

But many fundamental issues still remain undecided, such as imperial succession and what place the imperial household should hold in society.

A supplementary resolution attached to the passed bill called for continued consideration of measures to ensure stable succession.

Now is the time for politicians to seriously discuss and reach a conclusion about such issues, including whether female and matrilineal emperors should be allowed.

Since the Diet itself passed the resolution, it should no longer hold off on discussions.

In talks between the ruling and opposition parties prior to passage, the implicit agreement was that securing a stable number of imperial family members was to be the only topic.

But the result was to allow adoption into imperial families of males from former branch families on the patrilineal side and grant male descendants of the adopted individual the right to........

© The Asahi Shimbun