Emperor Naruhito Seeks Public Backing for Imperial Family Plan

Tokyo, June 11 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Emperor Naruhito said Thursday he hopes a plan regarding the number of Imperial Family members that wins public support will be created.

"I hope it will be something that gains the understanding of the people," he said at a press conference held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo ahead of his official visits to the Netherlands and Belgium with Empress Masako from Saturday to June 26.

On Wednesday, the leaders and deputy leaders of both chambers of the Diet, Japan's parliament, and political parties forged the Japanese legislative branch's consensus proposal for securing a sufficient number of Imperial Family members.

The proposal includes two measures, with one enabling female Imperial Family members to retain their Imperial status after marriage and the other calling for the adoption of male members in the paternal line of former Imperial Family branches back into the family.

Emperor Naruhito refrained from commenting on the content of the consensus proposal.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]