Josei Tennō

Josei Tennō (女性天皇)
Creation date	686
Created by	Empress Jitō
First holder	Empress Suiko (posthumously) Empress Jitō (officially)
Last holder	Empress Go-Sakuramachi
Subsidiary titles	None
Status	Extinct (unless Japan allows female rulers again)
Extinction date	1889 (under the Imperial House Law of 1889, which barred women from ruling) [1]
Supporters	About 90% of Japanese people support the idea of a reigning empress (according to a 2024 survey) [2]

Empress Suiko, the first verifiable empress regnant

Josei Tennō (女性天皇) is a Japanese term referring to an empress regnant. ^{[a] [3]} Unlike the title Kōgō , which refers only to an empress consort, Josei Tennō only refers to a reigning empress. Tennō is the title for the Emperor; the addition of the term josei (女性, woman) distinguishes that the emperor is a woman; therefore, a reigning empress. ^{[note 1]}

Origins

Before Emperor Tenmu (the first to use the title Tennō) ^{[4] [5]} all monarchs were probably called Great King/Queen of Yamato, and not Tennō.

From the reign of Empress Jitō onwards, emperors (Tennō 天皇) who were women were distinguished from their male counterparts with the qualifier of josei (女性, woman). ^{[3] [4] [5]} However, as empresses regnant, they held the rank of Tennō without the qualifier, indicating they were emperors equal to their male counterparts. On most lists retaining to the emperors of Japan, Empress Meishō would be referred to as Meishō Tennō rather than Meishō Josei Tennō.

Before the Fujiwara clan and in times when an heir was underaged, a female relative (typically a sister or mother) would take the throne. Out of all empresses regnant, Empress Kōken (known as Shōtoku during her second reign) is the only one to have been granted the title "crown princess" before accession. ^[6]

List

The list of empresses regnant are the following.

• Empress Suiko ^[7]
  • When Suiko's husband Emperor Bidatsu, died, her brother Emperor Yōmei took the throne. Soon though Yōmei died of illness and so Emperor Sushun took the throne. Sushun was assassinated and so the throne was vacant. In a time of need Suiko became the empress, yet she was probably styled as great queen of Yamato. Suiko ruled until her death. ^{[8] [9]}

• Empress Kōgyoku
  • Kōgyoku reigned a second time as Saimei. ^{[10] [11]}
  • After taking the throne, Kōgyoku was soon forced off due to the Isshi incident. Blood was seen as impure and Soga-no-Iruka being killed in front of the empress, namely the most pure person (being Japan's leader) meant she had to abdicate so it would not stain her reign. ^{[9] [12] [13]}

• Empress Jitō ^[14]
  • Jitō was the wife of Emperor Tenmu. After he died and her son Prince Kusakabe was deemed too young to rule, Jitō took the throne in his place until he was old enough. When Kusakabe died, Jitō remained as empress until her grandson came of age. ^[15] Jitō was the first to be referred as "josei tennō" ^[4]

• Empress Genmei ^[16]
  • The wife of Jitō's son Kusakabe and Jitō's half-sister. After Genmei's son died, Genmei became empress. After copper was found nere the capital, a new era in her honour (called the Wadō) was ushered in. The Kojiki was also completed under her reign. ^[17]

• Empress Genshō ^[18]
  • The daughter of Empress Genmei. Genshō helped complete the Nihon Shoki. She was also the only empress to be preceded by another (her predecessor being her own mother). ^{[19] [20]}

• Empress Kōken
  • Kōken reigned a second time as Shōtoku. ^[21]
  • Under her first reign, Kōken was basically a puppet for her mother, Empress Kōmyō, the Empress Dowager. ^[22] Possibly because of this, Kōken abdicated. Yet soon after Kōken would overthrow Emperor Junnin and vest all power in herself, becoming Empress Shōtoku. She possibly fell in love with a monk named Dōkyō, and may have had plans to make him her heir. ^[23] Yet when she died, Dōkyō fell from power and was exiled. ^[24]

• Empress Meishō ^[25]
  • Meishō only became empress because her father was involved in the Purple Robe Incident and had to abdicate. ^[26] The 5 year-old empress did not do much as the shogun system was in place.

• Empress Go-Sakuramachi ^[27]
  • Similar to Empress Meishō, she did not have much power due to the shogunate. She was the last Josei Tennō and also adopted Emperor Kōkaku as her own. Empress Go-Sakuramachi died in 1813. ^[28]

Empress Jingū is not counted among the official monarchs. ^[b] Princess Iitoyo's legitimacy and validity (concerning her reign) is mostly unknown. ^[29]

The debate for a possible future Josei Tennō

Main article: Japanese imperial succession debate

Due to the current Japanese rules of succession a woman cannot inherit the throne. Yet there has been calls to allow Aiko, Princess Toshi to become the 9th empress regnant. To this day there is an ongoing succession debate. An event was held called "Making Aiko the Imperial heir" which pushed for the rules to be changed and a new line of succession to be introduced, which would be as follows:

1. Aiko, Princess Toshi
2. Fumihito, Prince Akishino
3. Princess Kako of Akishino
4. Prince Hisahito of Akishino
5. Masahito, Prince Hitachi
6. Princess Akiko of Mikasa
7. Princess Yōko of Mikasa
8. Princess Tsuguko of Takamado ^[30]

There was also a Parliament meeting held in December 2023 about the matter. ^[31] In February 2024, the former Prime minister Yoshihiko Noda of the Democratic Party of Japan held another Parliament meeting, suggesting women should be allowed to marry without losing their titles, lead their own branch of the Imperial family, and possibly rule. ^[32] To this day Princess Sumiko remains one of the only women to lead a branch of the imperial family. ^[33] On March 15, 2024, there were more discussions about allowing women to rule ^[34] with discussions of women being allowed to retain their titles upon marriage on March 18 of the same year. ^{[35] [36]} As of June 2024, parties did agree women should marry without losing their title, with no conclusion on the status on their spouses. ^[37] Emperor Naruhito has also admitted the family is running out of male heirs. ^[38] Shigeru Ishiba who became the Japanese prime minister on October 1, 2024, is known to support a female emperor (Josei Tennō) ^[39] The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, had requested the succession laws be looked at. Takeshi Iwaya, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, expressed his displeasure in this request. The request will look over the part of the constitution which only allows men to succeed and not women. ^[40] A woman has not been a female emperor (Josei Tennō) since Empress Go-Sakuramachi. ^[41]

Gallery

• 
  Empress Jingū, the first mythical empress regnant.
• 
  The tomb of Empress Iitoyo, also known as Empress Tsunuzashi. The validity of her reign in disputed.
• 
  Empress Suiko, the first woman whose reign is historically verifiable.
• 
  Empress Kōgyoku/Saimei, the second historically verifiable empress.
• 
  Empress Jitō, the third historically verifiable empress, first to use the title Josei Tennō
• 
  Empress Genmei, the fourth historically verifiable empress.
• 
  Empress Genshō, the fifth historically verifiable empress.
• 
  Empress Kōken/Shōtoku, the sixth historically verifiable empress.
• 
  Empress Meishō, the seventh historically verifiable empress.
• 
  Empress Go-Sakuramachi, the eight and final historically verifiable empress.

See also

• Himiko
• Toyo
• Emperor of Japan

Notes

1. Josei Tennō is just a title to avoid confusion with male monarchs. Unlike European languages, the title of Josei Tennō can be abbreviated to Tennō, much like its male counterpart. Along with Tennō, Jotei (女帝) may also refer to an empress regnant, but primarily of another country, not Japan. It literally means "female emperor". ^[3]

1. Josei Tennō (女性天皇) literally means "female heavenly emperor".
2. Jingū is only sometimes referred to as Tennō (天皇) and is typically referred to only as a regent, thus she does not count as a Josei Tennō either.

References

1. p. 1235, "The Imperial House Law - Chapter 1: Succession to the Imperial Throne," Japan Year Book 1933, Kenkyusha Press, Foreign Association of Japan, Tokyo
2. "90% in Japan support idea of reigning empress: survey". Tokyo: Kyodo News. April 28, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
3. Cherry, Kittredge (November 14, 2016). Womansword: What Japanese Words Say About Women. Stone Bridge Press. ISBN   978-1-61172-919-1. During Japan's long history eight women have ruled as female emperor or josei tenno. An older term is empress or jotei. In English "empress" can mean either a reigning monarch or the wife of an emperor, but in Japanese there are separate words for each. The title bestowed on the emperor's wife is kogo.
4. "Tennō | Emperor, Imperial, Japan | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
5. Henshall, Kenneth (November 7, 2013). Historical Dictionary of Japan to 1945. Scarecrow Press. ISBN   978-0-8108-7872-3.
6. Harper, Cathy (December 8, 2022). "More than placeholders: The 'century of empresses' against modern succession laws". Melbourne Asia Review (12). Retrieved May 28, 2024.
7. "-天皇陵-推古天皇 磯長山田陵(すいこてんのう しながのやまだのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
8. Varley, p. 126.
9. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 46.
10. "-天皇陵-". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
11. Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon (in French). Oriental Translation Fund. 1834.
12. Ponsonby-Fane, p. 50.
13. Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. Society. 1896. ISBN   978-0-524-05347-8.
14. "-天皇陵-持統天皇 檜隈大内陵(じとうてんのう ひのくまのおおうちのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
15. Varley, H. Paul. Jinnō Shōtōki, p. 137.
16. "-天皇陵-元明天皇 奈保山東陵(げんめいてんのう なほやまのひがしのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
17. Titsingh, p. 63.
18. "-天皇陵-稱徳天皇 高野陵(しょうとくてんのう たかののみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
19. Titsingh, pp. 64–65.
20. Yoshida, Reiji (March 27, 2007). "Life in the cloudy Imperial fishbowl". The Japan Times. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
21. "-天皇陵-明正天皇 月輪陵(めいしょうてんのう つきのわのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
22. Mulhern, Chieko Irie (July 1991). Heroic with Grace: Legendary Women of Japan. M.E. Sharpe. ISBN   978-0-7656-3265-4.
23. "Dokyo | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
24. Ooms, Herman (2009). Imperial politics and symbolics in ancient Japan : the Tenmu dynasty, 650-800. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. pp. 237–241.
25. "-天皇陵-仁孝天皇 後月輪陵(にんこうてんのう のちのつきのわのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
26. 三訂版, 精選版 日本国語大辞典,デジタル大辞泉,日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ),百科事典マイペディア,改訂新版 世界大百科事典,山川 日本史小辞典 改訂新版,ブリタニカ国際大百科事典 小項目事典,旺文社日本史事典. "紫衣事件(しえじけん)とは？ 意味や使い方". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved January 30, 2024.
27. "-天皇陵-仁孝天皇 後月輪陵(にんこうてんのう のちのつきのわのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
28. Meyer, Eva-Maria (1999). Japans Kaiserhof in der Edo-Zeit: unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Jahre 1846 bis 1867 (in German). Lit. ISBN   978-3-8258-3939-0.
29. Brinkley, F. (Frank) (1915). A history of the Japanese people from the earliest times to the end of the Meiji era. New York, London: Encyclopædia Britannica Co., University of Michigan.
30. "Aiko on the Throne? Event Seeks to Pave the Way for a Female Emperor". nippon.com. September 25, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
31. INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (December 19, 2023). "皇位継承議論促進へ 額賀福志郎衆院議長が各党に意見集約要請". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved February 28, 2024.
32. "女性宮家「緊急的な課題」 立民検討委の皇位継承案". nippon.com (in Japanese). February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
33. Donald Keene, Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912, 2010
34. 内藤 慎二, 永原 慎吾 (March 15, 2024). "動くか皇位継承、与野党の議論本格化 政府は制度精通の内閣官房参与復帰の異例人事". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved April 12, 2024.
35. "女性皇族が「結婚後も皇族の身分保持」案におおむね賛同 自民・皇室に関する懇談会｜FNNプライムオンライン". FNNプライムオンライン. March 18, 2024. Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
36. "安定的な皇位継承 "女性皇族が婚姻後も残る案"異論出ず | TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ)". TBS NEWS DIG (in Japanese). March 18, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
37. Shimbun, The Yomiuri (June 1, 2024). "Parties Say Japan's Married Princesses Should Keep Status; No Agreement Reached on Status of Husbands, Children". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
38. Tokyo, Richard Lloyd Parry (June 25, 2024). "Japanese emperor admits his family is running out of heirs". The Times . Retrieved June 25, 2024.
39. "Japan's scandal-hit ruling party picks Shigeru Ishiba as next PM". www.bbc.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
40. Funakoshi, Sho; Correspondents, Yasushi Kaneko / Yomiuri Shimbun (November 23, 2024). "U.N. Panel's Stance on Imperial Succession Refuted; Experts Question Motives, Lack of Transparency". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Retrieved November 23, 2024.{{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
41. "Japan's Female Emperors". nippon.com. June 30, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2024.