Up to 55 percent of Japanese opposed to a prompt revision of the Imperial House Law to pave the way for female monarchs in Japan, according to a poll conducted by the Mainichi Shimbun.

The newspaper said on Sunday that its telephone poll of 1,115 people on Friday and Saturday showed that only 39 percent support revising the law during the current Diet session through June.

However, the poll showed that 52 percent of respondents think a revision of the law is still necessary even if Princess Kiko, the wife of Emperor Akihito's younger son Prince Akishino, gave birth to a baby boy.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi backed off on Friday from his plan to submit an imperial law revision bill for female monarchs to the current Diet session following the announcement earlier last week about the pregnancy of Princess Kiko.

If Princess Kiko gives birth to a baby boy, she will add a third on the line for the throne after Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Akishino under the current law that allows only male heirs with emperors on their fathers' side to reign.

Source: Xinhua