The imperial family, like so many families, has its fair share of problems. But in this case, its very survival in its current form is under threat. Drastic change would appear to be the answer.

While Japan’s claim to a shared ancestry with Korea was used to legitimize the annexation of its neighbor, it took more than half a century after World War II for the imperial family to formally ...

With Princess Mako marrying a commoner and giving up her royal title, attention will turn back to the rapidly shrinking number of imperial family members and imperial succession. Mako ...