PRIME MINISTER TAKAICHI SPOKE TO THE PRESS REGARDING THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL TO AMEND THE IMPERIAL HOUSE LAW AND OTHER MATTERS

TOKYO, July 17 -- Prime Minister and His Cabinet issued the following information:

[Provisional translation]

(Reporter)I am Sugiyama, with The Asahi Shimbun. Thank you for taking my question. The amendment to the Imperial House Law aimed at securing the number of members of the Imperial Family was enacted today.Opposition parties criticized a number of points, including that it explicitly states that a male child born to an adopted member of the Imperial Family will be eligible to succeed to the throne, a point which was not part of the Diet's consensus, and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and others opposed the bill. In light of that, I would like to know your view on the passage of this amendment to the Imperial House Law.A...