All property of the Imperial Household belongs to the State. All expenses of the Imperial Household are appropriated by the Diet in the budget (Constitution, Article 88). The budget appropriated for the Imperial Family consists of Personal Expenses, Palace-related Expenses, Allowance for Imperial Family Members, and Palace-related Expenses (Imperial House Economy Law, Article 3).
- Personal Expenses
- These are the day-to-day personal expenses of His Majesty, His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus and the inner-court members of the Imperial Family (Naitei-Kozoku). The amount is stipulated by law, and was 324 million yen for FY2024.
- Allowance for Imperial Family Members
- Each member of the Imperial Family, excluding His Majesty and the inner-court members of the Imperial Family, is provided an annual allowance in order that the Imperial Family is able to maintain a lifestyle that befits its position.
The basis for calculating the Allowance for Imperial Family Members is stipulated by law. The total amount of this allowance was 264 million yen for FY2024.
The Allowance for Imperial Family Members includes one off allowances paid when a member of the Imperial Family establishes his or her independent household, or leaves his or her Imperial status.
- Palace-related Expenses
- This amount is meant for the Imperial Family's official duties, including ceremonies, state banquets and receptions, and domestic and overseas visits. It is also for maintenance and management of facilities of the Imperial Palace and other properties. The amount was 9.55 billion yen for FY2024.
No property can be given to or received by the Imperial Household without authorization of the Diet except when the amount is within the ranges listed below, or when the transfer is within normal personal financial activities? (Constitution, Article 8; Imperial House Economy Law, Article 2; and Law for the Enforcement of the Imperial House Economy Law, Article 2).
|
Limits for giving gifts (in a financial year) |
Limits for receiving gifts (in a financial year) |
The Emperor and inner-court members
of Imperial Family |
¥18 million |
¥6 million |
Other adult members of the Imperial Family |
¥1.6 million each |
¥1.6 million each |
Other minor members of the Imperial Family |
¥0.35 million each |
¥0.35 million each |
- (Reference) Cases for which Diet authorization was sought as per Article 8 of the Constitution.
- Authorization (March 13, 1959) at the time of the marriage of His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Akihito
- Authorization (June 26, 1990) at the time of enthronement of His Majesty the Reigning Emperor to the Throne
- Authorization (April 28, 1993) at the time of the marriage of His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Naruhito
- Authorization (June 21, 2019) at the time of enthronement of His Majesty the Reigning Emperor to the Throne
- Authorization (March 31, 2020) at the time of enthronement of His Majesty the Reigning Emperor to the Throne
Traditional properties as are to be handed down with the Throne are to be inherited by the Imperial Heir at the time of his accession to the Throne (Imperial House Economy Law, Article 7).