Custodians of the Throne: On the Problem of "Gender Pluralism" in the Japanese Political Tradition

Aim. To reveal the ontological foundations of imperial power in pre-Restoration Japan through a critical analysis of the conceptual frameworks employed in modern Western historiography, which claims to describe a gender-pluralistic model of succession. Methodology. A critical analysis of narrative sources and archaeological data was conducted. Historical-genetic and comparative methods were applied to deconstruct the examined concepts. Results. It was established that female rule served as an instrument for ensuring patrilineal succession (uji) in times of dynastic crisis. The power of empresses was temporary and derivative, while the legitimacy of the system (bansei ikkei) was fundamentally based on male-line descent. Research implications. The study systematizes the critique of anachronistic interpretations and introduces an ontologically grounded approach to analyzing dynastic power. The connection between the principle of uji and the 1889 Imperial Household Law is substantiated to forecast potential implications of future reforms.