New Media 'NoBorder News' Releases Latest Episode

NoBorder Inc., which operates the taboo-breaking new media 'NoBorder' (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Yuji Mizoguchi), has announced the release of NoBorder News #45 'I Will Sue!' Yoshinori Kobayashi and Former Bunshun Editor-in-Chief Warn About Imperial Household Law Revision - Is Empress Aiko a Taboo?' on July 13, 2026.

In this episode of NoBorder News, we have revisited the 'Imperial Succession Issue,' which we have been continuously covering, and examined the institutional design and problems of the Imperial Household Law revision bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives Plenary Session and is expected to be enacted in the current Diet session.

The program featured manga artist Yoshinori Kobayashi and former editor-in-chief of 'Shukan Bunshun' and 'Bungei Shunju' Masatake Kimata. Mr. Kobayashi has been continuously communicating about the imperial succession issue through works such as 'Gormanism Declaration: Empress Aiko Theory,' and Mr. Kimata has been conducting an online signature campaign calling for 'Empress Aiko to be Crown Prince.'

The program discussed various aspects of the issue, including proposals to adopt male heirs from former imperial families as imperial family members, institutional designs to grant future imperial succession qualifications to the children of adopted heirs, debates surrounding female emperors and female-line emperors, and the relationship between national consensus and parliamentary deliberations.

#45: 'I Will Sue!' Yoshinori Kobayashi and Former Bunshun Editor-in-Chief Warn About Imperial Household Law Revision - Is Empress Aiko a Taboo?

https://youtube.com/live/_vAw1yZXk0o

As the revision bill is on the verge of enactment - Was the discussion on imperial succession sufficient?

In this Imperial Household Law revision bill, the pillars are systems that allow female imperial family members to maintain their imperial family status even after marriage, and systems that adopt male heirs from former imperial families as imperial family members.

Among these, the institutional design that is particularly controversial is the possibility that if a male heir from a former imperial family is adopted as an imperial family member and their child is male, they may have the qualification for future imperial succession.

The program focused on the fact that while the bill is presented as a measure to secure the number of imperial family members, it does not include whether to recognize female emperors or female-line emperors. We re-examined whether securing the number of imperial family members and stable imperial succession are the same issue, and whether sufficient discussion has been conducted to obtain national understanding.

Yoshinori Kobayashi: 'The proposal to adopt heirs from former imperial families excludes Empress Aiko'

Yoshinori Kobayashi strongly criticized the current revision bill, stating that the system of adopting male heirs from former imperial families as imperial family members closes the possibility of Empress Aiko becoming the emperor in the future.

Mr. Kobayashi also expressed doubts about the claim that male-line succession has continued 'without exception in one generation,' and stated that considering ancient history and the nature of imperial succession in Japan, it is not appropriate to regard male-line succession as an absolute tradition.

Additionally, he mentioned that in the event the revision bill is enacted, he is considering the possibility of a constitutional lawsuit regarding the system of adopting male heirs from former imperial families as imperial family members, which may violate 'discrimination based on birth' prohibited by Article 14 of the Constitution.

Masatake Kimata: Background of the signature submission for 'Empress Aiko to be Crown Prince'

The program also covered the online signature campaign calling for 'Empress Aiko to be Crown Prince,' initiated by Masatake Kimata and others.

On July 8th, Mr. Kimata and others submitted 79,210 signatures to Diet members. The program introduced the scene, including Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan's Eri Tokunaga, Chairperson of the Policy Research Committee, and Shuya Sugio, Acting Chairperson of the Policy Research Committee, receiving the signatures.

Mr. Kimata pointed out a significant gap between Diet discussions on imperial succession and public opinion. He stated that the signature campaign was initiated due to the problem awareness that the voices of citizens wishing for a female emperor were not reflected in the institutional revision bill, despite their existence.

Additionally, he expressed the view that there are many remaining issues regarding the proposal to adopt male heirs from former imperial families from the public sector, including adaptation to life and duties as imperial family members, the will of the individual, and national understanding, touching on the roles and symbolic roles that those born and raised in the imperial family have carried out for many years.

Following previous special features on imperial succession

NoBorder News has featured the issue of imperial succession in multiple episodes. On the episode released on June 22nd, we welcomed Akira Takamori, a scholar of the imperial family and Shinto studies, and conducted an interview with former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, a member of the House of Representatives, while examining the options including female emperors and female-line emperors, and the challenges of the proposal to adopt heirs from former imperial families. On the episode released on June 29th, we welcomed Tsunehiro Takeda, a writer from the former imperial family Takeda, and political commentator Fumio Hirai, and covered their views supporting male-line succession and the proposal to adopt heirs from former imperial families. In this 45th episode, as the enactment of the revision bill is expected, we raised issues from the stance of seeking female emperors and opposing the proposal to adopt heirs from former imperial families, and deepened the discussion on the future image of the imperial family. Imperial succession is a complex theme where institutions, history, tradition, the constitution, and national understanding intersect. NoBorder News aims to provide a platform for viewers to think for themselves by presenting points of view from different stances, rather than concluding with one answer. Guest Information Yoshinori Kobayashi (Manga Artist) Masatake Kimata (Former Editor-in-Chief of 'Shukan Bunshun' and 'Bungei Shunju') Takashi Uesugi (NoBorder News Anchor) Ryoma Koda (NoBorder Project Manager) Haruka Umi (Assistant) Yuu Kimajima (Assistant) Viewer Participation Project (Survey) NoBorder collects themes and opinions that viewers would like to cover in the program through the official app and YouTube comment section. Introduction to the NoBorder Official App NoBorder has started operating the official app. With the official app, you can enjoy the behind-the-scenes of the program and in-depth content such as the following. ● Off-shots of guests ● Unreleased cuts and limited videos ● After-talk after video release ● Special release of deleted past episodes We will continue to develop this as a place where you can experience the worldview of NoBorder in a more three-dimensional way along with the program. ■How to Access the App The NoBorder official app is accessible from the official LINE. First, please add NoBorder official LINE as a friend and proceed to the official app from the instructions within LINE. ▼ NoBorder Official LINE https://lin.ee/rUR8U3T?openExternalBrowser=1 About the Taboo-Breaking New Media 'NoBorder' 'NoBorder' is a taboo-breaking new media where serial entrepreneur Yuji Mizoguchi risks his life to pursue the 'contours of truth.' We welcome commentators with diverse perspectives and expertise, and develop multi-faceted discussions that are not conclusion-oriented, on themes that are difficult to handle in existing media. Fake OR Fact? That BORDER is up to you to draw. ◾️Broadcast Information Program Name: NoBorder News Episode: #45 Title: 'I Will Sue!' Yoshinori Kobayashi and Former Bunshun Editor-in-Chief Warn About Imperial Household Law Revision - Is Empress Aiko a Taboo? Release Date: July 2026