Government of Japan

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Government of Japan

日本国政府
Go-shichi no kiri crest 2.svg
Polity type Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Constitution Constitution of Japan
Formation1885;139 years ago (1885)
Legislative branch
Name National Diet
Meeting place National Diet Building
Upper house
Name House of Councillors
Lower house
Name House of Representatives
Executive branch
Head of State
Title Emperor
Currently Naruhito
Head of Government
Title Prime Minister
Currently Fumio Kishida
AppointerEmperor
Cabinet
Name Cabinet of Japan
LeaderPrime Minister
AppointerPrime Minister
Headquarters Prime Minister's Official Residence
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Japan
Seat Chiyoda
Government of Japan
Japanese name
Kanji
Hiragana (formal)
(informal)
No.Name (English)Name (Japanese)GenderTook officeLeft officeTermCabinets
1 Junichiro Koizumi 小泉 純一郎MaleApril 26, 2001September 26, 20065 years, 153 days87th: Koizumi I (R1) (R2)
88th: Koizumi II (R)
89th: Koizumi III (R)
2 Shinzo Abe 安倍 晋三MaleSeptember 26, 2006September 26, 20071 year, 0 days90th: S. Abe I (R)
3 Yasuo Fukuda 福田 康夫MaleSeptember 26, 2007September 24, 2008364 days91st: Y. Fukuda (R)
4 Tarō Asō 麻生 太郎MaleSeptember 24, 2008September 16, 2009357 days92nd: Asō
5 Yukio Hatoyama 鳩山 由紀夫MaleSeptember 16, 2009June 8, 2010265 days93rd: Y. Hatoyama
6 Naoto Kan 菅 直人MaleJune 8, 2010September 2, 20111 year, 86 days94th: Kan (R1) (R2)
7 Yoshihiko Noda 野田 佳彦MaleSeptember 2, 2011December 26, 20121 year, 115 days95th: Noda (R1) (R2) (R3)
8 Shinzo Abe 安倍 晋三MaleDecember 26, 2012September 16, 20207 years, 265 days96th: S. Abe II (R)
97th: S. Abe III (R1) (R2) (R3)
98th: S. Abe IV (R1) (R2)
9 Yoshihide Suga 菅 義偉MaleSeptember 16, 2020October 4, 20211 year, 18 days99th: Suga
10 Fumio Kishida 岸田 文雄MaleOctober 4, 2021Present2 years, 103 days100th: Kishida I
101st: Kishida II

The Cabinet

Cabinet Office Building Naikakufu1.jpg
Cabinet Office Building
2nd Building of the Central Government Government Office Complex 2 of Japan 2009.jpg
2nd Building of the Central Government

The Cabinet of Japan (内閣) consists of the Ministers of State and the Prime Minister. The members of the Cabinet are appointed by the Prime Minister, and under the Cabinet Law, the number of members of the Cabinet appointed, excluding the Prime Minister, must be fourteen or less, but may only be increased to nineteen should a special need arise. [43] [44] Article 68 of the Constitution states that all members of the Cabinet must be civilians and the majority of them must be chosen from among the members of either house of the National Diet. [45] The precise wording leaves an opportunity for the Prime Minister to appoint some non-elected Diet officials. [46] The Cabinet is required to resign en masse while still continuing its functions, till the appointment of a new Prime Minister, when the following situation arises:

  1. The Diet's House of Representatives passes a non-confidence resolution, or rejects a confidence resolution, unless the House of Representatives is dissolved within the next ten days.
  2. When there is a vacancy in the post of the Prime Minister, or upon the first convocation of the Diet after a general election of the members of the House of Representatives.

Conceptually deriving legitimacy from the Diet, whom it is responsible to, the Cabinet exercises its power in two different ways. In practice, much of its power is exercised by the Prime Minister, while others are exercised nominally by the Emperor. [3]

Article 73 of the Constitution of Japan expects the Cabinet to perform the following functions, in addition to general administration:

  1. Administer the law faithfully; conduct affairs of state.
  2. Manage foreign affairs.
  3. Conclude treaties. However, it shall obtain prior or, depending on circumstances, subsequent approval of the Diet.
  4. Administer the civil service, in accordance with standards established by law.
  5. Prepare the budget, and present it to the Diet.
  6. Enact cabinet orders in order to execute the provisions of this Constitution and of the law. However, it cannot include penal provisions in such cabinet orders unless authorized by such law.
  7. Decide on general amnesty, special amnesty, commutation of punishment, reprieve, and restoration of rights.

Under the Constitution, all laws and cabinet orders must be signed by the competent Minister and countersigned by the Prime Minister, before being formally promulgated by the Emperor. Also, all members of the Cabinet cannot be subject to legal action without the consent of the Prime Minister; however, without impairing the right to take legal action. [47]

As of 14 December 2023, the makeup of the Cabinet: [48]

Go-shichi no kiri crest 2.svg
101st Cabinet of Japan
Second Kishida Cabinet (Second Reshuffle)
Color key:       Liberal Democratic       Komeito
MR: member of the House of Representatives, MC: member of the House of Councillors, B: bureaucrat
Minister
Constituency
Office(s)DepartmentTook Office
Cabinet ministers
Fumio Kishida 20211005 election infobox.jpg Fumio Kishida
MR for Hiroshima 1st
Prime Minister Cabinet Office 4 October 2021
(2 years ago)
 (2021-10-04)
Takeaki Matsumoto 20120603 (cropped 2).jpg Takeaki Matsumoto
MR for Hyōgo 11th
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications 14 December 2023
(32 days ago)
 (2023-12-14)
Ryuji Koizumi 20111227.jpg Ryuji Koizumi
MR for Saitama 11th
Minister of Justice Ministry of Justice 13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Yoko Kamikawa 20230913 (cropped).jpg Yōko Kamikawa
MR for Shizuoka 1st
Minister for Foreign Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs 13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Shunichi Suzuki 20211004 (cropped).jpg Shun'ichi Suzuki
MR for Iwate 2nd
Minister of Finance
Minister of State for Financial Services
Minister in charge of Overcoming Deflation
Ministry of Finance
Financial Services Agency
4 October 2021
(2 years ago)
 (2021-10-04)
Masahito Moriyama 2023 (cropped).jpg Masahito Moriyama
MR for Kinki PR block
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Minister in charge of Education Rebuilding
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology 13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Keizo Takemi 20180318.jpg Keizō Takemi
MC for Tokyo at-large
Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare 13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Tetsushi Sakamoto 20200916.jpg Tetsushi Sakamoto
MR for Kumamoto 3rd
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 14 December 2023
(32 days ago)
 (2023-12-14)
Ken Saito 20221111.png Ken Saitō
MR for Chiba 7th
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
Minister in charge of Industrial Competitiveness
Minister for Economic Cooperation with Russia
Minister in charge of the Response to the Economic Impact caused by the Nuclear Accident
Minister of State for the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry 14 December 2023
(32 days ago)
 (2023-12-14)
Tetsuo Saito 20211004 (cropped).jpg Tetsuo Saito
MR for Hiroshima 3rd
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Minister in charge of Water Cycle Policy
Minister for the World Horticultural Exhibition Yokohama 2027
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism 4 October 2021
(2 years ago)
 (2021-10-04)
Shintaro Ito.2023.jpg Shintaro Ito
MR for Miyagi 4th
Minister of the Environment
Minister of State for Nuclear Emergency Preparedness
Ministry of the Environment 13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Minoru Kihara 20190906.jpg Minoru Kihara
MR for Kumamoto 1st
Minister of Defense Ministry of Defense 13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Yoshimasa Hayashi 20211118 (cropped).jpg Yoshimasa Hayashi
MR for Yamaguchi 3rd
Chief Cabinet Secretary
Minister in charge of Mitigating the Impact of U.S. Forces in Okinawa
Minister in charge of the Abductions Issue
Cabinet Secretariat 14 December 2023
(32 days ago)
 (2023-12-14)
Taro Kono 20100712 (cropped 2).jpg Taro Kono
MR for Kanagawa 15th
Minister for Digital Transformation
Minister of State for Digital Reform
Minister in charge of Administrative Reform
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety
Minister in charge of Civil Service Reform
Digital Agency
Cabinet Office
10 August 2022
(17 months ago)
 (2022-08-10)
Shinako Tsuchiya 2023 (cropped).jpg Shinako Tsuchiya
MR for Saitama 13th
Minister of Reconstruction
Minister in charge of Comprehensive Policy Coordination for Revival from the Nuclear Accident at Fukushima
Reconstruction Agency 13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Yoshifumi Matsumura 20220410 (cropped).jpg Yoshifumi Matsumura
MC for Kumamoto at-large
Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission
Minister in charge of Building National Resilience
Minister in charge of Territorial Issues
Minister in charge of Civil Service Reform
Minister of State for Disaster Management and Ocean Policy
National Public Safety Commission
Cabinet Office
13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Ayuko Kato 20190420.jpg Ayuko Kato
MR for Yamagata 3rd
Minister in charge of Policies Related to Children
Minister in charge of Cohesive Society
Minister in charge of Women's Empowerment
Minister in charge of Measures for Loneliness and Isolation
Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate
Minister of State for Gender Equality
Children and Families Agency
Cabinet Office
13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Yoshitaka Shindo.2023.jpg Yoshitaka Shindō
MR for Saitama 2nd
Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization
Minister in charge of New Capitalism
Minister in charge of Startups
Minister in charge of Measures for Novel Coronavirus Disease and Health Crisis Management
Minister in charge of Social Security Reform
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
Cabinet Office 13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)
Sanae Takaichi 20190617.jpg Sanae Takaichi
MR for Nara 2nd
Minister in charge of Economic Security
Minister of State for "Cool Japan" Strategy
Minister of State for Intellectual Property Strategy
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy
Minister of State for Space Policy
Minister of State for Economic Security
Cabinet Office 10 August 2022
(17 months ago)
 (2022-08-10)
Hanako Jimi 20220812.jpg Hanako Jimi
MC for National PR block
Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
Minister of State for Regional Revitalization
Minister of State for Regulatory Reform
Minister of State for Ainu-Related Policies
Minister in charge of Digital Garden City Nation Vision
Minister for the World Expo 2025
Cabinet Office 13 September 2023
(4 months ago)
 (2023-09-13)

Ministries and agencies

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Agency for Cultural Affairs Office Building
Politics of the Constitution of Japan Politics Under Constitution of Japan 04.svg
Politics of the Constitution of Japan

The ministries of Japan (中央省庁, Chuo shōcho) consist of eleven executive ministries and the Cabinet Office. Each ministry is headed by a Minister of State, which are mainly senior legislators, and are appointed from among the members of the Cabinet by the Prime Minister. The Cabinet Office, formally headed by the Prime Minister, is an agency that handles the day-to-day affairs of the Cabinet. The ministries are the most influential part of the daily-exercised executive power, and since few ministers serve for more than a year or so necessary to grab hold of the organisation, most of its power lies within the senior bureaucrats. [49]

Below is a series of ministry-affiliated government agencies and bureaus responsible for government procedures and activities as of 23 August 2022. [50]

Legislative

National Diet Building, Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Diet of Japan Kokkai 2009.jpg
National Diet Building, Nagatachō, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

The Legislative branch organ of Japan is the National Diet (国会). It is a bicameral legislature, composing of a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the House of Councillors. Empowered by the Constitution to be "the highest organ of State power" and the only "sole law-making organ of the State", its houses are both directly elected under a parallel voting system and is ensured by the Constitution to have no discrimination on the qualifications of each members; whether be it based on "race, creed, sex, social status, family origin, education, property or income". The National Diet, therefore, reflects the sovereignty of the people; a principle of popular sovereignty whereby the supreme power lies within, in this case, the Japanese people. [7] [51]

The Diet responsibilities includes the making of laws, the approval of the annual national budget, the approval of the conclusion of treaties and the selection of the Prime Minister. In addition, it has the power to initiate draft constitutional amendments, which, if approved, are to be presented to the people for ratification in a referendum before being promulgated by the Emperor, in the name of the people. [52] The Constitution also enables both houses to conduct investigations in relation to government, demand the presence and testimony of witnesses, and the production of records, as well as allowing either house of the Diet to demand the presence of the Prime Minister or the other Minister of State, in order to give answers or explanations whenever so required. [41] The Diet is also able to impeach Court judges convicted of criminal or irregular conduct. The Constitution, however, does not specify the voting methods, the number of members of each house, and all other matters pertaining to the method of election of the each members, and are thus, allowed to be determined for by law. [53]

Under the provisions of the Constitution and by law, all adults aged over 18 are eligible to vote, with a secret ballot and a universal suffrage, and those elected have certain protections from apprehension while the Diet is in session. [54] Speeches, debates, and votes cast in the Diet also enjoy parliamentary privileges. Each house is responsible for disciplining its own members, and all deliberations are public unless two-thirds or more of those members present passes a resolution agreeing it otherwise. The Diet also requires the presence of at least one-third of the membership of either house in order to constitute a quorum. [55] All decisions are decided by a majority of those present, unless otherwise stated by the Constitution, and in the case of a tie, the presiding officer has the right to decide the issue. A member cannot be expelled, however, unless a majority of two-thirds or more of those members present passes a resolution therefor. [56]

Under the Constitution, at least one session of the Diet must be convened each year. The Cabinet can also, at will, convoke extraordinary sessions of the Diet and is required to, when a quarter or more of the total members of either house demands it. [57] During an election, only the House of Representatives is dissolved. The House of Councillors is however, not dissolved but only closed, and may, in times of national emergency, be convoked for an emergency session. [58] The Emperor both convokes the Diet and dissolves the House of Representatives, but only does so on the advice of the Cabinet.

For bills to become Law, they are to be first passed by both houses of the National Diet, signed by the Ministers of State, countersigned by the Prime Minister, and then finally promulgated by the Emperor; however, without specifically giving the Emperor the power to oppose legislation.

House of Representatives

Chamber of the House of Representatives Chamber of the House of Representatives of Japan.jpg
Chamber of the House of Representatives

The House of Representatives of Japan (衆議院) is the Lower house, with the members of the house being elected once every four years, or when dissolved, for a four-year term. [59] As of November 18, 2017, it has 465 members. Of these, 176 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation, and 289 are elected from single-member constituencies. 233 seats are required for majority. The House of Representatives is the more powerful house out of the two, it is able to override vetoes on bills imposed by the House of Councillors with a two-thirds majority. It can, however, be dissolved by the Prime Minister at will. [39] Members of the house must be of Japanese nationality; those aged 18 years and older may vote, while those aged 25 years and older may run for office in the lower house. [54]

The legislative powers of the House of Representatives is considered to be more powerful than that of the House of Councillors. While the House of Councillors has the ability to veto most decisions made by the House of Representatives, some however, can only be delayed. This includes the legislation of treaties, the budget, and the selection of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, and collectively his Cabinet, can in turn, however, dissolve the House of Representatives whenever intended. [39] While the House of Representatives is considered to be officially dissolved upon the preparation of the document, the House is only formally dissolved by the dissolution ceremony. [60] The dissolution ceremony of the House is as follows: [61]

  1. The document is rubber stamped by the Emperor, and wrapped in a purple silk cloth; an indication of a document of state act, done on behalf of the people.
  2. The document is passed on to the Chief Cabinet Secretary at the House of Representatives President's reception room.
  3. The document is taken to the Chamber for preparation by the General-Secretary.
  4. The General-Secretary prepares the document for reading by the Speaker.
  5. The Speaker of the House of Representatives promptly declares the dissolution of the House.
  6. The House of Representatives is formally dissolved.

It is customary that, upon the dissolution of the House, members will shout the Three Cheers of Banzai (萬歲). [60] [62]

House of Councillors

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Chamber of the House of Councillors

The House of Councillors of Japan (参議院) is the Upper house, with half the members of the house being elected once every three years, for a six-year term. As of November 18, 2017, it has 242 members. Of these, 73 are elected from the 47 prefectural districts, by single non-transferable votes, and 48 are elected from a nationwide list by proportional representation with open lists. The House of Councillors cannot be dissolved by the Prime Minister. [58] Members of the house must be of Japanese nationality; those aged 18 years and older may vote, while those aged 30 years and older may run for office in the upper house. [54]

As the House of Councillors can veto a decision made by the House of Representatives, the House of Councillors can cause the House of Representatives to reconsider its decision. The House of Representatives however, can still insist on its decision by overriding the veto by the House of Councillors with a two-thirds majority of its members present. Each year, and when required, the National Diet is convoked at the House of Councillors, on the advice of the Cabinet, for an extra or an ordinary session, by the Emperor. A short speech is, however, usually first made by the Speaker of the House of Representatives before the Emperor proceeds to convoke the Diet with his Speech from the throne. [63]

Judicial

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Supreme Court Building, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tokyo High Court Building Tokyo High Court Building02bs3200.jpg
Tokyo High Court Building

The Judicial branch of Japan consists of the Supreme Court, and four other lower courts; the High Courts, District Courts, Family Courts and Summary Courts. [64] Divided into four basic tiers, the Court's independence from the executive and legislative branches are guaranteed by the Constitution, and is stated as: "no extraordinary tribunal shall be established, nor shall any organ or agency of the Executive be given final judicial power"; a feature known as the Separation of Powers. [8] Article 76 of the Constitution states that all the Court judges are independent in the exercise of their own conscience and that they are only bounded by the Constitution and the laws. [65] Court judges are removable only by public impeachment, and can only be removed, without impeachment, when they are judicially declared mentally or physically incompetent to perform their duties. [66] The Constitution also explicitly denies any power for executive organs or agencies to administer disciplinary actions against judges. [66] However, a Supreme Court judge may be dismissed by a majority in a referendum; of which, must occur during the first general election of the National Diet's House of Representatives following the judge's appointment, and also the first general election for every ten years lapse thereafter. [67] Trials must be conducted, with judgment declared, publicly, unless the Court "unanimously determines publicity to be dangerous to public order or morals"; with the exception for trials of political offenses, offenses involving the press, and cases wherein the rights of people as guaranteed by the Constitution, which cannot be deemed and conducted privately. [68] Court judges are appointed by the Cabinet, in attestation of the Emperor, while the Chief Justice is appointed by the Emperor, after being nominated by the Cabinet; which in practice, known to be under the recommendation of the former Chief Justice. [69]

The Legal system in Japan has been historically influenced by Chinese law; developing independently during the Edo period through texts such as Kujikata Osadamegaki . [70] It has, however, changed during the Meiji Restoration, and is now largely based on the European civil law; notably, the civil code based on the German model still remains in effect. [71] A quasi-jury system has recently came into use, and the legal system also includes a bill of rights since May 3, 1947. [72] The collection of Six Codes makes up the main body of the Japanese statutory law. [71]

All Statutory Laws in Japan are required to be rubber stamped by the Emperor with the Privy Seal of Japan (天皇御璽), and no Law can take effect without the Cabinet's signature, the Prime Minister's countersignature and the Emperor's promulgation. [73] [74] [75] [76] [77]

Supreme Court

Building of the Supreme Court of Japan Saikosaibansho.jpg
Building of the Supreme Court of Japan

The Supreme Court of Japan (最高裁判所) is the court of last resort and has the power of Judicial review; as defined by the Constitution to be "the court of last resort with power to determine the constitutionality of any law, order, regulation or official act". [78] The Supreme Court is also responsible for nominating judges to lower courts and determining judicial procedures. It also oversees the judicial system, overseeing activities of public prosecutors, and disciplining judges and other judicial personnel. [79]

High Courts

The High Courts of Japan (高等裁判所) has the jurisdiction to hear appeals to judgments rendered by District Courts and Family Courts, excluding cases under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Criminal appeals are directly handled by the High Courts, but Civil cases are first handled by District Courts. There are eight High Courts in Japan: the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Sendai, Sapporo, and Takamatsu High Courts. [79]

Penal system

The Penal system of Japan (矯正施設) is operated by the Ministry of Justice. It is part of the criminal justice system, and is intended to resocialize, reform, and rehabilitate offenders. The ministry's Correctional Bureau administers the adult prison system, the juvenile correctional system, and three of the women's guidance homes, [80] while the Rehabilitation Bureau operates the probation and the parole systems. [81]

Other government agencies

Head office of the Bank of Japan, the country's central bank, in Chiyoda, Tokyo Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.jpg
Head office of the Bank of Japan, the country's central bank, in Chiyoda, Tokyo

The Cabinet Public Affairs Office's Government Directory also listed a number of government agencies that are more independent from executive ministries. [82] The list for these types of agencies can be seen below.

Local government

Administrative divisions of Japan Japan admin levels.svg
Administrative divisions of Japan

According to Article 92 of the Constitution, the local governments of Japan (地方公共団体) are local public entities whose body and functions are defined by law in accordance with the principle of local autonomy. [83] [84] The main law that defines them is the Local Autonomy Law. [85] [86]  They are given limited executive and legislative powers by the Constitution. Governors, mayors and members of assemblies are constitutionally elected by the residents.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications intervenes significantly in local government, as do other ministries. This is done chiefly financially because many local government jobs need funding initiated by national ministries. This is dubbed as the "thirty-percent autonomy". [87]

The result of this power is a high level of organizational and policy standardization among the different local jurisdictions allowing them to preserve the uniqueness of their prefecture, city, or town. Some of the more collectivist jurisdictions, such as Tokyo and Kyoto, have experimented with policies in such areas as social welfare that later were adopted by the national government. [87]

Local authorities

Japan is divided into forty-seven administrative divisions, the prefectures are: one metropolitan district (Tokyo), two urban prefectures (Kyoto and Osaka), forty-three rural prefectures, and one "district", Hokkaidō. Large cities are subdivided into wards, and further split into towns, or precincts, or subprefectures and counties.

Cities are self-governing units administered independently of the larger jurisdictions within which they are located. In order to attain city status, a jurisdiction must have at least 500,000 inhabitants, 60 percent of whom are engaged in urban occupations. There are self-governing towns outside the cities as well as precincts of urban wards. Like the cities, each has its own elected mayor and assembly. Villages are the smallest self-governing entities in rural areas. They often consist of a number of rural hamlets containing several thousand people connected to one another through the formally imposed framework of village administration. Villages have mayors and councils elected to four-year terms. [88] [89]

Structure

Each jurisdiction has a chief executive, called a governor (知事, chiji) in prefectures and a mayor (市町村長, shichōsonchō) in municipalities. Most jurisdictions also have a unicameral assembly (議会, gikai), although towns and villages may opt for direct governance by citizens in a general assembly (総会, sōkai). Both the executive and assembly are elected by popular vote every four years. [90] [91] [92]

Local governments follow a modified version of the separation of powers used in the national government. An assembly may pass a vote of no confidence in the executive, in which case the executive must either dissolve the assembly within ten days or automatically lose their office. Following the next election, however, the executive remains in office unless the new assembly again passes a no confidence resolution. [85]

The primary methods of local lawmaking are local ordinance (条例, jōrei) and local regulations (規則, kisoku). Ordinances, similar to statutes in the national system, are passed by the assembly and may impose limited criminal penalties for violations (up to 2 years in prison and/or 1 million yen in fines). Regulations, similar to cabinet orders in the national system, are passed by the executive unilaterally, are superseded by any conflicting ordinances, and may only impose a fine of up to 50,000 yen. [88]

Local governments also generally have multiple committees such as school boards, public safety committees (responsible for overseeing the police), personnel committees, election committees and auditing committees. [93] These may be directly elected or chosen by the assembly, executive or both. [87]

Scholars have noted that political contestations at the local level tend not to be marked by strong party affiliation or political ideologies when compared to the national level. Moreover, in many local communities candidates from different parties tend to share similar concerns, e.g., regarding depopulation and how to attract new residents. Analyzing the political discourse among local politicians, Hijino suggests that local politics in depopulated areas is marked by two overarching ideas: "populationism" and "listenism." He writes, "“Populationism” assumes the necessity of maintaining and increasing the number of residents for the future and vitality of the municipality. “Listenism” assumes that no decision can be made unless all parties are consulted adequately, preventing majority decisions taken by elected officials over issues contested by residents. These two ideas, though not fully-fledged ideologies, are assumptions guiding the behavior of political actors in municipalities in Japan when dealing with depopulation." [94]

All prefectures are required to maintain departments of general affairs, finance, welfare, health, and labor. Departments of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, commerce, and industry are optional, depending on local needs. The Governor is responsible for all activities supported through local taxation or the national government. [87] [91]

See also

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The Constitution of Japan is the constitution of Japan and the supreme law in the state. It was written primarily by American civilian officials working under the Allied occupation of Japan after World War II. The current Japanese constitution was promulgated as an amendment of the Meiji Constitution of 1890 on 3 November 1946 when it came into effect on 3 May 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Diet</span> National legislature of Japan

The National Diet is the national legislature of Japan. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the House of Councillors. Both houses are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally responsible for nominating the Prime Minister. The Diet was first established as the Imperial Diet in 1890 under the Meiji Constitution, and took its current form in 1947 upon the adoption of the post-war constitution. Both houses meet in the National Diet Building in Nagatachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo.

A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified by a single elected person who holds the office of "president", in practice, the presidency includes a much larger collective of people, such as chiefs of staff, advisers and other bureaucrats. Although often led by a single person, presidencies can also be of a collective nature, such as the presidency of the European Union is held on a rotating basis by the various national governments of the member states. Alternatively, the term presidency can also be applied to the governing authority of some churches, and may even refer to the holder of a non-governmental office of president in a corporation, business, charity, university, etc. or the institutional arrangement around them. For example, "the presidency of the Red Cross refused to support his idea." Rules and support to discourage vicarious liability leading to unnecessary pressure and the early termination of term have not been clarified. These may not be as yet supported by state let initiatives. Contributory liability and fraud may be the two most common ways to become removed from term of office and/or to prevent re-election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Representatives (Japan)</span> Lower house of the National Diet of Japan

The House of Representatives is the lower house of the National Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors is the upper house. The composition of the House is established by Article 41 and Article 42 of the Constitution of Japan. The House of Representatives has 465 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 176 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation, and 289 are elected from single-member constituencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meiji Constitution</span> Constitution of the Empire of Japan, in effect from 1890 to 1947

The Constitution of the Empire of Japan, known informally as the Meiji Constitution, was the constitution of the Empire of Japan which was proclaimed on February 11, 1889, and remained in force between November 29, 1890 and May 2, 1947. Enacted after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, it provided for a form of mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy, based jointly on the German and British models. In theory, the Emperor of Japan was the supreme leader, and the Cabinet, whose Prime Minister would be elected by a Privy Council, were his followers; in practice, the Emperor was head of state but the Prime Minister was the actual head of government. Under the Meiji Constitution, the Prime Minister and his Cabinet were not necessarily chosen from the elected members of parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of India</span> Legislative, executive and judiciary authority of India

The Government of India, also known as the Central Government or simply the Centre, is the national authority of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, consisting of 28 union states and eight union territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of Japan</span> Executive branch of the Government of Japan

The Cabinet of Japan is the chief executive body of the government of Japan. It consists of the prime minister, who is appointed by the emperor after being nominated by the National Diet, in addition to up to nineteen other members, called ministers of state.

Dissolution of a legislative assembly is the simultaneous termination of service of all of its members, in anticipation that a successive legislative assembly will reconvene later with possibly different members. In a democracy, the new assembly is chosen by a general election. Dissolution is distinct on the one hand from abolition of the assembly, and on the other hand from its adjournment or prorogation, or the ending of a legislative session, any of which begins a period of inactivity after which it is anticipated that the same members will reassemble. For example, the "second session of the fifth parliament" could be followed by the "third session of the fifth parliament" after a prorogation, but would be followed by the "first session of the sixth parliament" after a dissolution.

The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The government consists of the parliamentary members of the party or coalition that currently has the support of a majority of members of the House of Representatives and in some contexts also includes the departments and other executive bodies ministers oversee. The current government consists of Anthony Albanese and other Australian Labor Party parliamentarians, in place since the 2022 federal election.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, commonly referred to as the Government of Ukraine, is the highest body of state executive power in Ukraine. As the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR, it was formed on 18 April 1991, by the Law of Ukrainian SSR No.980-XII. Vitold Fokin was approved as the first Prime Minister of Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prime Minister of Ethiopia</span> Head of government of Ethiopia

The prime minister of Ethiopia is the head of government and chief executive of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a parliamentary republic with a prime minister as head of the government and the commander-in-chief of the Ethiopian Armed Forces. The prime minister is the most powerful political figure in Ethiopian politics. The official residence of the prime minister is the Menelik Palace in Addis Ababa. The prime minister is elected from the members of the House of Peoples' Representatives and presents a government platform. The prime minister must receive a vote of confidence in the House of Peoples' Representatives to exercise executive power as chief executive. Abiy Ahmed is the third prime minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, serving since April 2018.

The Government of Meiji Japan was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Australia</span> Political system of Australia

The politics of Australia operates under the written Australian Constitution, which sets out Australia as a constitutional monarchy, governed via a parliamentary democracy in the Westminster tradition. Australia is also a federation, where power is divided between the federal government and the states and territories. The monarch, currently King Charles III, is the head of state and is represented locally by the Governor-General of Australia, while the head of government is the Prime Minister of Australia, currently Anthony Albanese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Malaysia</span> Federal government of Malaysia

The Government of Malaysia, officially the Federal Government of Malaysia, is based in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya, with the exception of the legislative branch, which is located in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is a federation comprising the 11 States of Malaya, the Borneo States of Sabah and Sarawak, and 3 Federal Territories operating within a constitutional monarchy under the Westminster system and is categorised as a representative democracy. The federal government of Malaysia adheres to and is created by the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, the supreme law of the land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Thailand</span> Executive authority of Thailand

The Government of Thailand, or formally the Royal Thai Government, is the unitary government of the Kingdom of Thailand. The country emerged as a modern nation state after the foundation of the Chakri Dynasty and the city of Bangkok in 1782. The Revolution of 1932 brought an end to absolute monarchy and replaced it with a constitutional monarchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1947 Japanese general election</span>

General elections were held in Japan on 25 April 1947. The Japan Socialist Party won 143 of the 468 seats, making it the largest party in the House of Representatives following the election. Voter turnout was 68%. It was the last election technically held under the Meiji Constitution in preparation for the current Constitution of Japan which became effective several days later on 3 May 1947. The upper house of the Diet was also elected by the people under the new constitution, the first ordinary election of members of the House of Councillors had been held five days before.

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