The two chambers of parliament plan to resume talks Jan. 31 on measures to secure a sufficient number of imperial family members.

The country's ruling and opposition parties have generally agreed in discussions so far that female members should be allowed to remain in the imperial family after marriage. The focus is now on whether they can find more common ground in the run-up to this summer's election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament.

The Upper House and the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, began the discussions last May, also with an eye on coming up with ways to help ensure stable Imperial succession.