旧宮家の皇族復帰～Former Imperial families reinstated as members of the Imperial family

　旧宮家の皇族復帰と、その男子が皇位継承権を持つようにすることは、現在の皇室
典範の枠組みの中で考えると、皇位継承の安定化を図る上で比較的直接的な方法の一
つと言えるかもしれません。
　その理由としては、
　現行の皇室典範との親和性: 皇位継承資格を持つのは「男系の男子」と定められて
おり、旧宮家の方々は男系の血筋を受け継いでいます。したがって、皇族復帰が実現
すれば、速やかに皇位継承資格を持つ皇族が増えることになります。
　制度変更の範囲: 女性天皇や女系天皇を認めるためには、皇室典範の根幹に関わる
改正が必要となり、国民的な議論や合意形成に時間を要する可能性があります。
　一方、旧宮家の皇族復帰は、皇室典範の細則の変更や特別措置によって実現できる
可能性があります。
　現在の皇室典範において、「宮家」という制度は、皇族がそれぞれ独立した家庭を
構える際の名称として用いられています。
　現在、未婚の男子がいる宮家としては、秋篠宮家が挙げられます。
　秋篠宮家：秋篠宮文仁親王には、長男の悠仁親王殿下がいらっしゃいます。悠仁
親王殿下は、現在未婚でいらっしゃいます。
　その他の宮家、常陸宮家、三笠宮家、高円宮家には、宮家を継承する未婚の男子
はいらっしゃいません。
　また、1947年に皇籍を離脱した旧宮家には、未婚の男子がいらっしゃる方が複数
いると報じられています。
　皇位継承問題の議論においては、これらの旧宮家の男系男子を皇族として迎え入
れる案も存在します。報道によると、久邇家、賀陽家、竹田家、東久邇家などに20代
以下の未婚の男系男子が複数いらっしゃるとされています。
　愛子さま天皇即位は基本的に難しそうですね。皇族復帰された皇位継承資格を持
った男性と結婚した場合も現在の皇室典範では、女性皇族は結婚すると皇籍を離脱す
るため、この条件を満たすことは困難です。
　どちらにしても旧宮家の皇族復帰が進まない事には何も進まないですね。
　皇室復帰案に関しては自民、公明、日本維新、国民民主…とおおむね各党が賛意を
示している。
　ところが、野党第一党の立憲民主党が態度を明らかにしない。党としての見解は示
そうとしないまま、国会では所属議員が憲法14条が禁じる「門地（家柄）による差別」
ではないかとの質問を繰り返している。
　野田さん何を考えているんでしょうかね？！早くしないと時は待ってくれないですよ
ね！！

Considering the current Imperial House Law framework, restoring the former Imperial families to the Imperial Family and allowing their male descendants to inherit the Imperial Throne may be one of the relatively direct ways to stabilize the Imperial succession.

The reasons for this are:

Compatibility with the current Imperial House Law: Only "male descendants of the male line" are eligible to inherit the Imperial Throne, and the former Imperial families are descendants of the male line. Therefore, if the restoration of the Imperial Family is realized, the number of Imperial Family members eligible to inherit the Throne will increase rapidly.

Scope of the system change: In order to allow a female Emperor or an Emperor of the female line, a fundamental revision of the Imperial House Law will be necessary, and it may take time for national discussion and consensus building.

On the other hand, the restoration of the former Imperial families to the Imperial Family may be realized by changing the detailed rules of the Imperial House Law or by taking special measures.

In the current Imperial House Law, the system of "Imperial families" is used as the name when members of the Imperial Family set up their own independent households.

Currently, the Akishino family is an example of an Imperial family with unmarried male descendants.

Akishino Family: Prince Akishino Fumihito has an eldest son, Prince Hisahito. Prince Hisahito is currently unmarried.

The other Imperial families, Hitachi, Mikasa, and Takamado, have no unmarried sons who could succeed the Imperial family.

It has also been reported that there are several unmarried sons in the former Imperial families that left the Imperial family in 1947.

In discussions on the issue of Imperial succession, there is also a proposal to welcome male descendants of these former Imperial families into the Imperial family. According to reports, there are several unmarried male descendants in their 20s or younger in the Kuni, Kaya, Takeda, and Higashikuni families.

Basically, it seems difficult for Princess Aiko to become Emperor. Even if she marries a man who has been restored to the Imperial Family and is eligible to succeed to the throne, it will be difficult for her to meet this condition, because under the current Imperial House Law, a female member of the Imperial Family leaves the Imperial Family upon marriage.

Either way, nothing will move forward unless progress is made on the restoration of the former Imperial families to the Imperial Family.

Regarding the proposal to restore the Imperial Family, most parties, including the LDP, Komeito, Japan Restoration Party, and the Democratic Party for the People, have expressed support.

However, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party has not made its stance clear. While refusing to express its party position, its members in the Diet have repeatedly asked whether this is "discrimination based on family origin," which is prohibited by Article 14 of the Constitution.

What is Noda thinking? ! Time will wait for no one if you don't act quickly, right?