Manga artist sues Japan claiming imperial adoption law violates constitution

Japanese manga artist and conservative commentator Yoshinori Kobayashi has sued the government, arguing that a revised Imperial House Law violates the Constitution’s guarantee of equality regardless of family origin. The law, enacted in July and now in effect, permits unmarried, childless men aged 15 or older from 11 former imperial branches to be adopted into the Imperial Family; their male descendants could potentially become eligible for the throne. Kobayashi says limiting eligibility to those branches creates a discriminatory class, and is seeking to have the law invalidated and 1 million yen in damages. The changes are intended to address the shrinking Imperial Family while preserving male-only succession, but do not allow women to inherit the throne or pass royal status to their children.