Reuters on Japan's royal succession

News and rumours had suggested that a simple regulatory change would pave the way for Japan to be ruled by an empress; a Reuters article today, however, suggests it may not be that simple:

Topping the list [of objections] is the argument that while Japan has had eight reigning empresses, none of those passed the throne to her own child. Instead, traditionalists believe, the imperial lineage stretches back through 2,600 years of patriarchal succession.

"It's not simply that Japan is more male chauvinistic than other countries," Portland State's Ruoff said.

"It probably is, but that's not all there is to it. It's because a substantial bunch of hard-core supporters of the throne believe a reigning empress is the end of history," he added.

[Read: Reuters article]