The order of precedence in Japan is mostly for the Imperial Family. According to the Imperial Household Agency, there is no specific rules regulating the order of precedence. On occasions when most adult members of the Imperial Family need to attend, the order of precedence is decided according to previous customs and the regulations before WWII.[1]
The Imperial Household Law published in 1889 regulated the order of precedence according to the titles held by Imperial Family members. According to the law, the order of precedence was as follows:[2][3]
the heir apparent to the throne who is the grandson of the Emperor (皇太孫, kōtaisōn)
N/A
the consort to the previous member (皇太孫妃, kōtaisōnhi)
N/A
princes who are the sons and grandsons of an emperor (親王, shinnō), princesses consort to the previous princes (親王妃, shinnōhi ), blood princess who are the daughters and granddaughters of an emperor (内親王, naishinnō), princes who are the great-grandsons of an emperor or farther down the lineage (王, ō), princesses consort to the previous princes (王妃, ōhi), and blood princesses who are the great-granddaughters of an emperor or farther down the lineage (女王, joō)
Prince (親王, shinnō) (Excluded: Crown Prince Akishino, who holds the title shinnō, listed above)
This regulation targeted 皇族 (Kōzoku), which translated to English as members of the Imperial Family. In Japanese, the range of Kōzoku are the members of the Imperial Family that exclude the Emperor. According to the Emperor Abdication Law, the range of 皇族 exclude the Emperor Emeritus (上皇, jōkō) and include the Empress Emerita Empress Emerita (上皇后, jōkōgō). The Empress Emerita is seen as equivalent to the Empress Dowager, thus ranking below the Empress.
The order of precedence in Japan does not list male and female members separately.
The Imperial Household Law (1889) did not make specific regulations regarding the order of precedence of princes and princesses. However, according to custom, the princes are ranked in accordance with their positions in the line of succession to the throne. The consorts rank behind their husbands. The blood princesses are ranked as if they are princes and siblings are ranked in terms of seniority.[4]
The Order of Precedence for the current members of the Imperial Family of Japan
For convenience, the Emperor and the Emperor Emeritus are included.
HM The Emperor Emeritus (Akihito), the father of Naruhito and former emperor who abdicated in 2019
HM The Empress Emerita (Michiko), the mother of Naruhito and the consort of Akihito
HIH The Crown Prince Akishino (Fumihito), the younger brother of Naruhito and the second son of Akihito and Michiko
HIH The Crown Princess Akishino (Kiko), the consort of Fumihito
HIH The Princess Toshi (Aiko), the only child of Naruhito and Masako
HIH Princess Kako of Akishino, the niece of Naruhito and the second daughter of Fumihito and Kiko
HIH Prince Hisahito of Akishino, the nephew of Naruhito and the only son of Fumihito and Kiko
HIH The Prince Hitachi (Masahito), the uncle of Naruhito and the younger son of Emperor Showa
HIH The Princess Hitachi (Hanako), the consort of Masahito
HIH Princess Tomohito of Mikasa (Nobuko), the widow of the late Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, who is the first cousin once removed of Naruhito and the eldest son of the late Prince Mikasa, the youngest son of Emperor Taishō
HIH Princess Akiko of Mikasa, the elder daughter of Tomohito and Nobuko
HIH Princess Yōko of Mikasa, the younger daughter of Tomohito and Nobuko
HIH The Princess Takamado (Hisako), the widow of Prince Takamado, who is the first cousin once removed of Naruhito and the youngest son of Prince Mikasa
HIH Princess Tsuguko of Takamado, the eldest daughter of Prince and Princess Takamado
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