In the study of the Shito religion, a conclusion has not been reached whether one is not qualified to become the Emperor unless one is a man with the Imperial Family blood line (unbroken imperial line) or theoretically, any powerful person with the Three Sacred Treasures of the Imperial Family can become the Emperor (note that this is not the official point of view of Shinto).
神道研究において、天皇家の血筋（いわゆる万世一系）を男系で引いていなければ天皇になる資格はないのか、それとも理論上は三種の神器を抑えた権力者は誰であれ天皇となりうるのかについては結論は出ていない（ただし、神道の公式見解ではない）。