Josei Tennō

Josei Tennō (女性天皇)
(Empress Regnant)
Josei Tennō (女性天皇); (Empress Regnant)
Creation date	686
Creation	For Empress Jitō
Created by	Empress Jitō
First holder	Empress Suiko (posthumously); Empress Jitō (officially)
Last holder	Empress Go-Sakuramachi
Subsidiary titles	None
Status	Extinct (unless Japan allows female rulers again)
Extinction date	1889 (under the Imperial House Law of 1889, which barred women from ruling)
Supporters	About 90% of Japanese people support the idea of a reigning empress (according to a 2024 survey)

Josei Tennō is a Japanese title referring to an Empress regnant.^[a]^[3] Unlike the title Kōgō, which can refer to an Empress consort, Josei Tennō only refers to a Reigning Empress. Tennō may also refer to a Reigning Empress.^[b]

Origins

Before Emperor Tenmu (the first to use Tennō)^[4]^[5] all monarchs were probably called Great King of Yamato (or queen), and not Josei Tennō/Tennō. from Empress Jitō on, The woman were called Josei Tennō and men Tennō.^[3]^[4]

The title (Much like the male equivalent "Tennō") was used to greatly influence the Emperors power, and control. Adding a sort of devine aspect to it. This title was more used only officially. Unofficially woman were typically also called "Tennō".^[4]^[5]

As an example, on most lists retaining to the Emperors of japan, you'll usually see, "Meishō Tennō" and not "Meishō Josei Tennō". Josei Tennō is only used to differentiate the male and female monarchs.

Before the Fujiwara clan in times when an heir was underaged, a female relitive typically a sister or mother would take the throne, such as Empress Jitō the first to use "Josei Tennō". Out of all Empresses Regnant, Empress Kōken/Shōtoku, is the only one to be granted the title "Crown princess".^[6]

List

The list of empresses regnant are:

Empress Suiko^[7]

When Suiko's husband Emperor Bidatsu, died, her brother Emperor Yōmei took the throne. Soon though Yōmei died of illness and so Emperor Sushun took the throne. Sushun was assassinated and so the throne was vacant, in a time of need Suiko became the empress, yet she was probably styled as; Great queen of Yamato. Suiko ruled until her death.^[8]^[9]

Empress Kōgyoku

Kōgyoku reigned a second time as Saimei.^[10]

After taking the throne, Kōgyoku was soon forced off due to the Isshi incident, blood was seen as impure and Soga-no-Iruka being killed Infront of the empress, and the empress being the most pure person (being Japan's leader) meant she had to abdicate so it wouldn't stain her reign.^[9]^[11]^[12]

Kōgyoku would take the throne a second time though as Saimei.^[13] She was probably called; Great queen of Yamato.

Empress Jitō^[14]

Jitō was the wife of emperor Tenmu, after he died and her son Prince Kusakabe to young to rule Jitō took the throne in his place until he was old enough. When Kusakabe died, Jitō remained as Empress until her grandson came of age.^[15] Jitō was the first to use the title "Josei Tennō"^[4]

Empress Genmei^[16]

The wife of Jitō's son Kusakabe and Jitō's half sister, after Genmei's son died, Genmei became empress, after copper was found nere the capital, a new era in her honour the Wadō (era), was ushered in. The Kojiki was also Completed under her reign.^[17]

Empress Genshō^[18]

Genshō Helped complete the Nihon Shoki, she was also the only Empress to be preceded by another (Her predecessor being her own mother)^[19]^[20]

Empress Kōken

Kōken reigned a second time as Shōtoku.^[21]

Under her first reign, Kōken was basically a puppet for her mother, Empress Kōmyō, the Empress Dowager.^[22] Possibly because of this, Kōken would abdicate. Yet soon after Kōken would overthrow the new Emperor and vest all power in herself, becoming Empress Shōtoku. Now Shōtoku, she fell in love with a monk named Dōkyō.^[23] Yet when she died, Dōkyō fell from power and was exiled.^[24]

Empress Meishō^[25]

Meishō only became empress because her father was involved in the Purple Robe Incident and so he had to abdicate.^[26] The 5 year-old now Empress, didn't do much as the Shogun system was in place.

Empress Go-Sakuramachi^[27]

Same as Meishō were she didn't have much power due to the Shogun. But she was the last Josei Tennō, and she also adopted Emperor Kōkaku as Her own. Empress Go-Sakuramachi died in 1813.^[28]

Empress Jingū is not counted among the official monarchs.^[c] And Princess Iitoyo's legitimacy, and validity (concerning her reign) is mostly unknown.^[29]

The debate for a possible future Josei Tennō

Due to the current Japanese rules of Succession a woman cannot inherit the throne. Yet there has been calls to allow Aiko, Princess Toshi to become the 9th Empress Regnant. To this day there is an ongoing succession debate. An event was held called "Making Aiko the Imperial heir" which pushed for the rules to be changed and a new line of succession to be introduced, which would be as follows:

There was also a Parliament meeting held in December 2023 about the matter. ^[31] In February 2024, the former Prime minister Yoshihiko Noda of the Democratic Party of Japan held another Parliament meeting, suggesting women should be allowed to marry without losing their titles, lead their own branch of the Imperial family, and possibly rule.^[32] To this day Princess Sumiko remains one of the only women to lead a branch of the Imperial family.^[33] On March 15th 2024 there were more discussions about allowing women to rule ^[34] with discussions of women being allowed to retain their titles upon marriage on March 18th of the same year.^[35]^[36]

Gallery

Empress Kōgyoku/Saimei, the second historically verifiable empress.

Notes

^ Josei Tennō (女性天皇) literally means "female heavenly emperor".
^ Josei Tennō is just a title to avoid confusion with male monarchs. Unlike European languages, the title of Josei Tennō can be abbreviated to Tennō, much like its male counterpart. Along with "Tennō", Jotei (女帝) may also refer to an Empress Regnant, but primarily of another country, not Japan. It literally means "female emperor".^{[citation needed]}
^ Jingū is only sometime referred to as "Tennō" (天皇) and is typically referred to only as a Regent, thus she doesn't count as a Josei Tennō either

References

^ p. 1235, "The Imperial House Law - Chapter 1: Succession to the Imperial Throne," Japan Year Book 1933, Kenkyusha Press, Foreign Association of Japan, Tokyo
^ "90% in Japan support idea of reigning empress: survey". Tokyo: Kyodo News. April 28, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Cherry, Kittredge (November 14, 2016). Womansword: What Japanese Words Say About Women. Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1-61172-919-1. During Japan's long history eight women have ruled as female emperor or josei tenno. An older term is empress or jotei. In English "empress" can mean either a reigning monarch or the wife of an emperor, but in Japanese there are separate words for each. The title bestowed on the emperor's wife is kogo.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Tennō | Emperor, Imperial, Japan | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Henshall, Kenneth (November 7, 2013). Historical Dictionary of Japan to 1945. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7872-3.
^ Harper, Cathy (December 8, 2022). "More than placeholders: The 'century of empresses' against modern succession laws". Melbourne Asia Review. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
^ "-天皇陵-推古天皇磯長山田陵(すいこてんのうしながのやまだのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
^ Varley, p. 126.
^ ^a ^b Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 46.
^ "-天皇陵-". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 50.
^ Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. Society. 1896. ISBN 978-0-524-05347-8.
^ Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon (in French). Oriental Translation Fund. 1834.
^ "-天皇陵-持統天皇檜隈大内陵(じとうてんのうひのくまのおおうちのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
^ Varley, H. Paul. Jinnō Shōtōki, p. 137.
^ "-天皇陵-元明天皇奈保山東陵(げんめいてんのうなほやまのひがしのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
^ Titsingh, p. 63.
^ "-天皇陵-稱徳天皇高野陵(しょうとくてんのうたかののみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
^ Titsingh, pp. 64–65.
^ Yoshida, Reiji (March 27, 2007). "Life in the cloudy Imperial fishbowl". The Japan Times. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
^ "-天皇陵-明正天皇月輪陵(めいしょうてんのうつきのわのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
^ Mulhern, Chieko Irie (July 1991). Heroic with Grace: Legendary Women of Japan. M.E. Sharpe. ISBN 978-0-7656-3265-4.
^ "Dokyo | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
^ Ooms, Herman (2009). Imperial politics and symbolics in ancient Japan : the Tenmu dynasty, 650-800. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. pp. 237–241.
^ "-天皇陵-仁孝天皇後月輪陵(にんこうてんのうのちのつきのわのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
^ 三訂版, 精選版日本国語大辞典,デジタル大辞泉,日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ),百科事典マイペディア,改訂新版世界大百科事典,山川日本史小辞典改訂新版,ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典,旺文社日本史事典. "紫衣事件(しえじけん)とは？意味や使い方". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved January 30, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ "-天皇陵-仁孝天皇後月輪陵(にんこうてんのうのちのつきのわのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
^ Meyer, Eva-Maria (1999). Japans Kaiserhof in der Edo-Zeit: unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Jahre 1846 bis 1867 (in German). Lit. ISBN 978-3-8258-3939-0.
^ Brinkley, F. (Frank) (1915). A history of the Japanese people from the earliest times to the end of the Meiji era. New York, London: Encyclopædia Britannica Co., University of Michigan.
^ "Aiko on the Throne? Event Seeks to Pave the Way for a Female Emperor". nippon.com. September 25, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (December 19, 2023). "皇位継承議論促進へ額賀福志郎衆院議長が各党に意見集約要請". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved February 28, 2024.
^ "女性宮家「緊急的な課題」立民検討委の皇位継承案". nippon.com (in Japanese). February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
^ Donald Keene, Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912, 2010
^ 内藤慎二, 永原慎吾 (March 15, 2024). "動くか皇位継承、与野党の議論本格化政府は制度精通の内閣官房参与復帰の異例人事". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved April 12, 2024.
^ "女性皇族が「結婚後も皇族の身分保持」案におおむね賛同自民・皇室に関する懇談会｜FNNプライムオンライン". FNNプライムオンライン. March 18, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
^ "安定的な皇位継承 "女性皇族が婚姻後も残る案"異論出ず | TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ)". TBS NEWS DIG (in Japanese). March 18, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.

[https://books.google.ie/books?id=MmFrDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT9&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false-3] Josei Tennō (女性天皇) literally means "female heavenly emperor".

[5] Josei Tennō is just a title to avoid confusion with male monarchs. Unlike European languages, the title of Josei Tennō can be abbreviated to Tennō, much like its male counterpart. Along with "Tennō", Jotei (女帝) may also refer to an Empress Regnant, but primarily of another country, not Japan. It literally means "female emperor".^{[citation needed]}

[31] Jingū is only sometime referred to as "Tennō" (天皇) and is typically referred to only as a Regent, thus she doesn't count as a Josei Tennō either

[1] . 1235, "The Imperial House Law - Chapter 1: Succession to the Imperial Throne," Japan Year Book 1933, Kenkyusha Press, Foreign Association of Japan, Tokyo

[2] "90% in Japan support idea of reigning empress: survey". Tokyo: Kyodo News. April 28, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.

[:0-4] Cherry, Kittredge (November 14, 2016). Womansword: What Japanese Words Say About Women. Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1-61172-919-1. During Japan's long history eight women have ruled as female emperor or josei tenno. An older term is empress or jotei. In English "empress" can mean either a reigning monarch or the wife of an emperor, but in Japanese there are separate words for each. The title bestowed on the emperor's wife is kogo.

[:1-6] "Tennō | Emperor, Imperial, Japan | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved January 30, 2024.

[:3-7] Henshall, Kenneth (November 7, 2013). Historical Dictionary of Japan to 1945. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7872-3.

[8] Harper, Cathy (December 8, 2022). "More than placeholders: The 'century of empresses' against modern succession laws". Melbourne Asia Review. Retrieved May 28, 2024.

[9] "-天皇陵-推古天皇磯長山田陵(すいこてんのうしながのやまだのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.

[10] Varley, p. 126.

[:2-11] Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 46.

[12] "-天皇陵-". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.

[13] Ponsonby-Fane, p. 50.

[14] Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. Society. 1896. ISBN 978-0-524-05347-8.

[15] Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon (in French). Oriental Translation Fund. 1834.

[16] "-天皇陵-持統天皇檜隈大内陵(じとうてんのうひのくまのおおうちのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.

[17] Varley, H. Paul. Jinnō Shōtōki, p. 137.

[18] "-天皇陵-元明天皇奈保山東陵(げんめいてんのうなほやまのひがしのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.

[19] Titsingh, p. 63.

[20] "-天皇陵-稱徳天皇高野陵(しょうとくてんのうたかののみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.

[21] Titsingh, pp. 64–65.

[22] Yoshida, Reiji (March 27, 2007). "Life in the cloudy Imperial fishbowl". The Japan Times. Retrieved April 10, 2024.

[23] "-天皇陵-明正天皇月輪陵(めいしょうてんのうつきのわのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.

[24] Mulhern, Chieko Irie (July 1991). Heroic with Grace: Legendary Women of Japan. M.E. Sharpe. ISBN 978-0-7656-3265-4.

[25] "Dokyo | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved January 30, 2024.

[26] Ooms, Herman (2009). Imperial politics and symbolics in ancient Japan : the Tenmu dynasty, 650-800. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. pp. 237–241.

[27] "-天皇陵-仁孝天皇後月輪陵(にんこうてんのうのちのつきのわのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.

[28] 三訂版, 精選版日本国語大辞典,デジタル大辞泉,日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ),百科事典マイペディア,改訂新版世界大百科事典,山川日本史小辞典改訂新版,ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典,旺文社日本史事典. "紫衣事件(しえじけん)とは？意味や使い方". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved January 30, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[29] "-天皇陵-仁孝天皇後月輪陵(にんこうてんのうのちのつきのわのみささぎ)". kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved January 24, 2024.

[30] Meyer, Eva-Maria (1999). Japans Kaiserhof in der Edo-Zeit: unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Jahre 1846 bis 1867 (in German). Lit. ISBN 978-3-8258-3939-0.

[32] Brinkley, F. (Frank) (1915). A history of the Japanese people from the earliest times to the end of the Meiji era. New York, London: Encyclopædia Britannica Co., University of Michigan.

[33] "Aiko on the Throne? Event Seeks to Pave the Way for a Female Emperor". nippon.com. September 25, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2024.

[34] INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (December 19, 2023). "皇位継承議論促進へ額賀福志郎衆院議長が各党に意見集約要請". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved February 28, 2024.

[35] "女性宮家「緊急的な課題」立民検討委の皇位継承案". nippon.com (in Japanese). February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.

[36] Donald Keene, Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912, 2010

[37] 内藤慎二, 永原慎吾 (March 15, 2024). "動くか皇位継承、与野党の議論本格化政府は制度精通の内閣官房参与復帰の異例人事". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved April 12, 2024.

[38] "女性皇族が「結婚後も皇族の身分保持」案におおむね賛同自民・皇室に関する懇談会｜FNNプライムオンライン". FNNプライムオンライン. March 18, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.

[39] "安定的な皇位継承 "女性皇族が婚姻後も残る案"異論出ず | TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ)". TBS NEWS DIG (in Japanese). March 18, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.

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Josei Tennō

Origins

List

The debate for a possible future Josei Tennō

Gallery

See also

Notes

References

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