Princess Aiko

Beate Sirota Gordon, a former civilian aide to Gen. Douglas MacArthur, supreme commander of the Allied Powers, said in a letter to The New York Times on Aug. 12 that she shares the view of Japanese legal scholars and elected officials that the Imperial House Law, which came into force in 1947, is unconstitutional.

The law flouted the postwar Constitution banning discrimination in political matters based on gender and limited the throne to "male offspring," she wrote.

Referring to a recent New York Times article that said Princess Aiko, 2, cannot ascend the throne, Gordon said: "In fact, there have been a number of Japanese empresses. But the 1889 Meiji Constitution ignored tradition and limited the throne to 'male descendants.' "

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 21, 2004
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