Event: Naruhito

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako with other imperial family members walk down a hill to greet guests during the spring garden party at the Akasaka Palace's imperial garden in Tokyo in April. | REUTERS Japan’s revised Imperial House Law, which aims to address the declining number of imperial family members, came into effect Saturday.The change allows male, paternal-line descendants of former imperial family branches to be adopted into the imperial family, and female imperial family members to remain within the family after marriage.The government has stressed the significance of the new law, but challenges remain, including differences in the status of female members and their husbands and children. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing, you can help us get the story right. SUBSCRIBE NOW