May 31 (NHK) - A committee of Japan's Lower House has reached a broad agreement on a supplementary resolution to be attached to a bill paving the way for abdication by the country's Emperor. The resolution would urge the government to study establishing female branches of the Imperial family after marriage by its female members.
The agreement came after Lower House steering committee chairman Tsutomu Sato and senior officials from ruling and opposition parties met on Tuesday to discuss Sato's draft amendments for the resolution.
The draft resolution says that deciding whether female branches of the Imperial household should be established is among critical issues that cannot be postponed. It adds that the goal is to secure a stable line of succession for the Emperor.
The resolution also calls on the government to swiftly discuss the matter after the bill is put in force, and report the outcome to the Diet.
Source: ANNnewsCH