Shinto Representatives Oppose Female Imperial Succession

In Japan, 700 representatives of the country's 80,000 Shinto shrines adopted a resolution Thursday to oppose a government plan to allow women and their descendants to ascend the Imperial throne. The Japan Times reports that the representatives are defending what they believe is the dignity of the Imperial family, in opposition to a government-sponsored bill scheduled be submitted to the next ordinary session of the Diet starting Friday. Before World War II, Shinto was the state religion and it had strong mythical ties with the Imperial family.