A legal successor of a head of a family position, a wife of a head of a family, or a husband of a female head of a family can only revive own head family (the Old Civil Codes, Article 744).
法定推定家督相続人や戸主の妻、女戸主の入夫は廃絶家がその本家である場合に限って再興することができる（旧民法744条）