WI: Prince Yoshihito dies early?

The Taishō Emperor (Yoshihito) was historically the eldest child of the Meiji Emperor (Mutsuhito) who lived to adulthood, and also the only male child to live to adulthood. At the young age of three weeks, he contracted cerebral meningitis. What if he'd died of it?

If we assume that Mutsuhito has no further male issue that live to adulthood, it seems likely that Japan would allow a female Empress (Princess Masako, assuming limited butterflies/morphic twins) to ascend to the throne upon Mutsuhito's death (IIRC, they nearly did when Hirohito failed to produce a male heir). How would this affect Japan, especially in relation to democracy, the military and feminism?

Note: I wasn't sure whether to put this in the After 1900 or Before 1900, so I went with After, since most of its effects wouldn't be seen until the Meiji Emperor dies, which would presumably be post-1900. If it should be moved, feel free.
 
Last edited:
The Taishō Emperor (Yoshihito) was historically the eldest child of the Meiji Emperor (Mutsuhito) who lived to adulthood, and also the only male child to live to adulthood. At the young age of three weeks, he contracted cerebral meningitis. What if he'd died of it?

If we assume that Mutsuhito has no further male issue that live to adulthood, it seems likely that Japan would allow a female Empress (Princess Masako, assuming limited butterflies/morphic twins) to ascend to the throne upon Mutsuhito's death (IIRC, they nearly did when Hirohito failed to produce a male heir). How would this affect Japan, especially in relation to democracy, the military and feminism?

Note: I wasn't sure whether to put this in the After 1900 or Before 1900, so I went with After, since most of its effects wouldn't be seen until the Meiji Emperor dies, which would presumably be post-1900. If it should be moved, feel free.
Could they not have installed a brother/nephew/some surviving male relative?

I doubt that they'd install an empress that early in history, but I don't know that much about Japanese politics and culture at the time.

By the way, this SHOULD be in pre-1900, as the technical point is when the PoD is, not when most of the effects are. Of course, that doesn't stop posters with LOTS more posts than you from getting confused.:)
 
Could they not have installed a brother/nephew/some surviving male relative?

I doubt that they'd install an empress that early in history, but I don't know that much about Japanese politics and culture at the time.
Actually, I was just looking it up, and women were only banned from the throne in 1889, which was after the PoD.
 
Japan has a historical precedent of installing female "caretaker" empresses until such time as a male heir comes of age. The children of those females, however, haven't ever inherited.

I sincerely doubt that the Japanese throne would ever be allowed to pass through the female line. A prince from an earlier offshoot of the male line would be crowned before the title passed to a female.
 
Japan has a historical precedent of installing female "caretaker" empresses until such time as a male heir comes of age. The children of those females, however, haven't ever inherited.

I sincerely doubt that the Japanese throne would ever be allowed to pass through the female line. A prince from an earlier offshoot of the male line would be crowned before the title passed to a female.
That was my (relatively uninformed) understanding.

Actually, I was just looking it up, and women were only banned from the throne in 1889, which was after the PoD.
And did the law just enthrone established custom?

Do we have any record of an empress ruling in her own right (Not counting the Goddess, of course).
 
Japan has a historical precedent of installing female caretaker empresses until such time as a male heir comes of age. The children of those females, however, haven't ever inherited.
Incorrect. Empress Gemmei was succeeded by her daughter, Empress Genshō.
Dathi THorfinnson said:
Do we have any record of an empress ruling in her own right (Not counting the Goddess, of course).
IIRC, the reign of Shōtoku was fairly turbulent and self-propelled, and she managed to force Emperor Junnin to abdicate. Admittedly, that was over a thousand years before the PoD, and the other two more recent Empresses were not so self-reliant. On the other hand, she was the last reigning Empress who was not empress during the Shogunate, which put the Emperor/Empress as mostly a figurehead, subservient to the Japanese military structure.
 
Top