Page:Constitutional imperialism in Japan (IA constitutionalim00clemrich).pdf/113

It is scarcely necessary to reproduce in full the Imperial House Law, promulgated at the same time as the Constitution; it will be sufficient to pick out a few of the most important points.^[1]

A large number of the articles (in all LXII in number) deal with the personal affairs and relations of the Imperial Family. It is perfectly natural that, according to Article XXXV,

The members of the Imperial Family shall be under the control of the Emperor.

Marriages of the members of the Imperial Family shall be subject to the sanction of the Emperor (Article XL).

No member of the Imperial Family can adopt any one as his son (Article XLII).

When a member of the Imperial family wishes to travel beyond the boundaries of the Empire, he shall first obtain the sanction of the Emperor (Article XLIII).

A female member of the Imperial Family who has married a subject shall be excluded from the membership of the Imperial Family (Article XLIV).

Article I says:

The Imperial Throne of Japan shall be succeeded to by male descendants in the male line of Imperial Ancestors.

Article II specifies that

The Imperial Throne shall he succeeded to by the Imperial eldest son.

Articles III–IX specify very particularly the line of succession in case there is no Imperial eldest son, or grandson, or any descendant, or Imperial brother or his descendants, or Imperial uncle or his descendants. It is well provided that there shall be no break in the line, so that, as is stated in the Preamble, “Our House shall be founded in everlasting strength and its dignity be forever maintained.”

Article XI directs that

The ceremonies of coronation shall be performed and a Grand Coronation Banquet shall be held at Kyoto.

In accordance with that article, the present Emperor was officially crowned in Kyoto in November, 1915.