A survey on Imperial succession showed Monday that 71.9 percent of respondents support allowing the male-line Imperial tradition to be broken, saying the child of a female monarch should be able to become an emperor or reigning empress.

Those who want to see a continuation of the tradition of passing down the throne only to heirs who have emperors on their father's side, which experts say has been in place for more than 2,000 years, stood at 16.1 percent, the Kyodo News survey showed.

The nationwide poll was conducted Saturday and Sunday, after a government panel on Imperial succession proposed in its final report on Nov. 24 allowing females and their descendants to ascend the throne, given that no male heir has been born into the royal family for the last 40 years.

The survey also showed that 75.3 percent are in favor of female monarchs.

On the order of succession, however, opinions were divided between those who support giving priority to the emperor's firstborn child and those who support giving priority to the emperor's male child over elder sisters.

The panel proposed giving priority to the emperor's firstborn child, regardless of gender, paving the way for 4-year-old Princess Aiko to become Japan's first female monarch since the 18th century.

Princess Aiko is the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako. But Princess Aiko cannot ascend the throne under the current Imperial House Law because it limits succession to only male heirs who have emperors on their father's side.

Japan 'emperor-centric'

The secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Tsutomu Takebe, said Monday that Japan is an "emperor-centric" country.

He made the comment at a party, saying "Japan is an emperor-centric country, whose national character is that everyone is willing to support the center."