Josei Tennō
| Josei Tennō (女性天皇) | |
|---|---|
| Creation date | 686 |
| Created by | Empress Jitō |
| First holder | Empress Suiko (retroactively) Empress Jitō (officially) |
| Last holder | Empress Go-Sakuramachi |
| Subsidiary titles | None |
| Status | Extinct (unless Japan allows female rulers again) |
| Extinction date | 1889 (under the Imperial House Law of 1889, which barred women from ruling) |
| Supporters | About 90% of Japanese people support the idea of a reigning empress (according to a 2024 survey) |
Josei Tennō (女性天皇) is a Japanese term referring to an empress regnant. Tennō is the title for the emperor; the addition of the term josei (女性, woman) distinguishes that the emperor is a woman. It is distinct from the title Kōgō, which refers to an empress consort.