My almost any measure, Japan is one of the most advanced countries on the planet. It has the 2nd largest economy in the world, its technological prowess is legendary, its commitment to representative government has been well documented since the fall of the militarists in the wake of the Second World War and by most accounts the Japanese are commitment to freedom and civil liberties. But then again, Japan has its draw backs. This is a society were women are sometimes treated as second class citizens though not in law, most assuredly in fact in many aspects of society. Japan is a society where no foreigner could immigrate with hopes of becoming a citizen a society which stubbornly clings to the fantasy that they were not the aggressors in the Pacific War.

Perhaps nothing is more symbolic of Japan’s backwardness than the monarchy itself. Japan, like that other island nation off the coast of Europe, is a constitutional monarchy and while the Emperor has no formal powers, he and is family are much revered by the Japanese public. For some time there has been concern in Japan over the order of imperial succession. After Crown Prince Naruhito, there are no male heirs in line for the thrown and Japanese law forbids a woman from assuming the imperial title. All hope now rests with Princess Kiko, who is married to the crown prince's younger brother. Kiko is pregnant and the Japanese public and thoroughly brainwashed Kiko herself are all praying for a boy.

In reality monarchy, whether it is an authoritarian regime like that in Nepal or a relatively benign regime like that in Great Britain, monarchy anywhere is an affront to liberty and tramples upon a person’s natural right to determine and shape their own destiny. The premise that another human being has a hereditary right to rule over his fellow human beings is in conflict with logic and common sense. While a nation like Nepal’s regime may manifest its tyranny in a more obvious manner, all monarchies are essentially tyrannical. As long as a state recognizes someone or something, other than its people as sovereign the people do not have actual freedom.
http://www.thephalanx.com/2006/04/monarchy-tyranny.html

While we could condemn Japan for its sexist imperial succession laws, the real injustice for Japan is the mere existence of a monarchy in the first place. The best hope for Japan would be for Princess Kiko to give birth to girl, perhaps a Black girl, that wouldn’t certainly shock the Japanese imperial system. If Princess Kiko gives birth to a son, the government will terminate efforts to allow women to ascend to the thrown. The Prime Minister was preparing such legislation when the pregnancy was announced. A fitting gift to the people of Japan would be the abolition of the monarchy.

But then again, perhaps the people of Japan are content as “commoners”…to a hereditary monarch, or perhaps they simply don’t know ant better. Regardless of which, any country with a monarch cannot seriously claim a true commitment to representative government, much less democracy, it is of no consequence what powers are formally invested with the sovereign, the presence of a “sovereign” implies that it is the crown, and not the people who are sovereign. The presence of a sovereign regulates citizens to the category of subjects.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5233928.stm