LDP Executive's Claim of "2,600 Years of Imperial Tradition" Sparks Backlash from Historians

Recent remarks regarding the imperial succession made by a senior official of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have created a major controversy involving historical researchers and the general public. Amid ongoing discussions on amending the House of Imperial Household Law, LDP Policy Research Council Chairperson Takayuki Kobayashi stated in the Diet that "the patrilineal succession of the Imperial Throne is a tradition of the Imperial Family that our predecessors have protected for over 2,600 years." In response, a voluntary group of ancient history researchers issued a statement of protest, and fierce debates regarding the validity of the statement have erupted on social media.

The protests were raised by the "Association of Ancient History Researchers Demanding Respect for Research Results on the Imperial Household and Succession." The statement pointed out that around 660 BC—the traditional date of Emperor Jimmu's accession—the Japanese archipelago was in the late Jomon to early Yayoi period from an archaeological perspective, and no written culture existed at the time. They warned against policy discussions that ignore scientific historical understanding, stating that the remarks "deny the results of ancient history research that has been continuously accumulated and are utterly unacceptable."

The context

As news of this movement spread, "patrilineal succession" became a trending topic on social media, with a barrage of critical posts directed at the remarks. Aside from opinions such as "there is no distinction made between historical facts and mythology" and "myths should not be brought into the arena of policy-making," some conservative voices also expressed doubts. One notable argument was that "while discussing history from the ancient period onward where existence is certain provides enough of a tradition, daring to bring up an unscientific figure of 2,600 years actually undermines the gravity of the imperial tradition." As discussions progress in the Diet regarding stable imperial succession, calm and logical verification based on historical facts is strongly demanded.

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