A debate about whether or not a woman would be able to ascend the throne was triggered in 2006 when the emperor had no grandsons, but was postponed after a boy was born to the imperial family.

2006年，因天皇没有孙子而展开了关于女性能否继承皇位的争论。皇室有男孩降生后，争论得以搁置。

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He would ascend to the throne after his brother abdicated (see following slide).

他能在其兄长退位后加冕成为英王。

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If the child does turn out to be a girl, she is destined to ascend the throne as queen one day.

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But the drafters of the first Imperial House Law decided not to allow women to ascend the throne in order to preserve the single line that, according to legend, is descended from the sun goddess, Amaterasu Omikami.

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Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond also welcomed the lifting of the ban but said it was "deeply disappointing" that Roman Catholics were still unable to ascend to the throne.

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