日本自民党宪法调查会于2004年11月提出了引人注目的修宪大纲草案，提议确认天皇为国家元首，并允许女性担任天皇。在天皇地位方面，草案称天皇是“国家元首，日本历史、传统、文化和统一的象征”，而王位继承应是血脉相承，“与性别无关”。
外电报道如下：
The Japanese government hopes to make changes to the constitution that will allow a woman to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne within "several years," a news report said.
The government hopes to make the change after consulting a panel of experts, the Mainichi Shimbun said, without citing its sources.
Polls have indicated public support for female succession of the throne, as no male heirs have been born into the royal family in nearly four decades.
The government was also considering allowing female members of the royal family to keep their imperial status even after they marry commoners, the newspaper said.
Chrysanthemum Throne表示“天皇王位”，因为菊花是日本的国花（樱花是民间国花），也是日本皇室的徽标。在日本，菊花代表长生不老，也是势力、尊严和崇高的象征，因此日本皇室被称为“菊花皇室”。
美联社评论说，这段有关继承方法的修改是为现实所迫的无奈之举，很少有日本人会对此提出异议。毕竟皇太子德仁与皇太子妃小和田雅子结婚多年只育有1个女儿，而日本皇室已有大约40年未添男丁。
