Japan preparing legislation to allow female monarchs News
Japan preparing legislation to allow female monarchs

[JURIST] The Japanese government is preparing a legislative proposal that would amend the country's succession law, the 1947 Imperial Household Law [text], to allow female monarchs. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said Thursday that a 15-member team has been established to work on a bill to be submitted when parliament reconvenes in January. The proposal will mirror a recent report that endorsed changing the succession law [JURIST report] to allow an emperor's first-born child, irrespective of gender, the right to ascend to the throne. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

South Africa becomes first country on continent to legalize same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages became legal in South Africa on November 30, 2006 as the country's Civil Union Act, 2006 went into effect, making South Africa the only country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Civil Union Act, 2006.