Japan's government consists of a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary form of government. An emperor serves as head of state and his main purpose is to be a symbol of the government because he holds no power at all. There is a legislative branch of government that consists of a House of Representatives and a House of Councilors. Japan's current constitution became effective in 1947 and changed the structure of the government.
Japan's legislature is known as the National Diet which consists of the House of Represenstatives which has 480 members and a House of Councilors which has 252 members. The National Diet originated under the Meiji constitution which came into effect in 1889. the Diet was partly modeled on the British concept of Parliament. The head of the parliament and of the government is the prime minister who is elected by the Japanese Diet.
Japan's present constitution was ratified on May 3, 1947, following World War II. It was drafted by the Allied Occupation authorities and approved by the Japanese Diet. The constitution is based on three principles: sovereignty of the people, respect for fundamental human rights, and renunciation of war (World War II). The Constitution also stipulates the independence of the three branches of government.
All Japanese citizens can vote in elections once they reach the age of twenty. Unlike Americans the Japanese do not elect a president directly.
Japanese Diet
Photos courtesy of www.Wikipedia.com (Japanese Diet) and www.mofa.go.jp (Japanese Cabinet).
