ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Japanese imperial succession debate

In Japan, there is a debate about who should become the next emperor when the current one, Emperor Akihito, retires. This is because only men can become emperor and the current emperor only has one son, who is also older and has only daughters. So some people think that women should be allowed to become emperor, while others think that men should still be the only ones allowed.

There are also other issues, like how to make sure the emperor's role remains respected and relevant in modern Japanese society, and what kind of person the next emperor should be. All of these different opinions and debates are being discussed by the government and the public in Japan.