1. Japan’s Legislative Branch: The National Diet
As in the United States, Japan’s government is divided into three separate branches: judicial, executive,
and legislative. However, in Japan, the National Diet, or Japan’s legislature, is considered “the highest
organ of state power” and “the sole law-making organ of the State” based on the Constitution. The Diet
is made up of two houses, the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, that are primarily
responsible for making laws, approving the annual national budget, initiating amendments to the
Constitution, conducting investigations on the government, impeaching judges convicted of criminal or
unethical conduct, and formally selecting the Prime Minister of Japan.
The House of Councillors is the upper house of the Diet of Japan, composed of 242 members who each
serve six year terms. The House of Representatives is the lower house with 480 members. As opposed to
the upper house, lower house members are elected for four-year terms. All citizens of Japan gain
universal suffrage at age 20 and may take part in the election process. To run for office, you must be 25
years old in the House of Representatives and 30 years old in the house of Councillors. Both houses are
elected under a parallel voting system, which basically means that the results of the election of the
upper house has little or no impact on the results of the lower house. Additionally, voters partake in
these elections using different voting systems.
Though both houses play a seemingly equal important role within the legislative branch of the
government, the lower house, or the House of Representatives is considered more powerful. For
instance, if a bill is passed by the House of Representatives, but then later struck down by the House of
Councillors, the lower house has the authority to override this decision by a two-thirds vote.
Furthermore, the House of Councillors cannot block legislation when certain issues arise such as treaty
amendments and budget concerns. The lower house may also dissolve the government if it passes a
motion of no-confidence introduced by 50 of its members. Despite the added power, the lower house is
still subject to dissolution by the Prime Minister, who is currently Junichiro Koizumi, through a passage
of no-confidence, as was recently seen in Canada late last year.
The Diet is required under the Constitution to meet at least once a year. During these sessions, the
Emperor, who is recognized as the symbol of the Japanese nation and the unity of its people, outlines
the government’s plans for the coming year. The National Diet Building is located in Japan’s capital,
Tokyo.
Legislative branch: bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi -in (242 seats -
members elected for fixed six-year terms; 146 members in multi-seat constituencies and 96 by
proportional representation) half elected every three years; and the House of Representatives or Shugi -
2. in (480 seats - members elected for maximum four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180
members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs); the prime minister has the right to
dissolve the House of Representatives at any time with the concurrence of the cabinet
There are 47 prefectural and numerous municipal governments in Japan. Their responsibilities include
providing education, welfare, and other services
Agence France-Presse/Getty Images: Lawmakers raise their hands for banzai cheers at the National Diet
in Tokyo on Nov. 16 as the lower house of parliament ...
3. Diet, also called (1889–1947) Imperial Diet, Japanese Kokkai (“National Assembly”), or Teikoku Gikai
(“Imperial Assembly”), the national legislature of Japan.
Under the Meiji Constitution of 1889, the Imperial Diet was established on the basis of two houses with
coequal powers. The upper house, the House of Peers (Kizokuin), was almost wholly appointive. Initially,
its membership was slightly less than 300, but it was subsequently increased to approximately 400. The
peers were intended to represent the top rank and quality of the nation and to serve as a check upon
the lower house. The pre-World War II House of Representatives (Shūgiin) was originally composed of
300 members, all elected, but gradually this number was increased to 466. Its powers were in many
respects largely negative. Without Diet approval, no bill could become law. The government did have
the right to issue imperial ordinances in case of an emergency, but if these were to remain in effect the
Diet had to approve them at its next session. There was one significant limitation upon the traditional
legislative control over the purse strings. If the Diet did not pass the budget in a manner acceptable to
the government, the government had the right to apply the budget for the previous year. This provision
was borrowed from Prussian practice. The Diet did not initiate important legislation; this was chiefly the
function of the executive.
Under the Constitution of 1947 the Diet, renamed Kokkai, was drastically altered both in structure and
in powers. There remained two houses, the House of Representatives (Shūgiin) and the House of
Councillors (Sangiin). The latter takes the place of the old House of Peers and has a membership of 250
consisting of two categories: 100 councillors elected from the nation at large with the remaining 152
elected as prefectural representatives. Every voter may cast a ballot for one candidate in each category,
giving him a total of two votes. The members of the House of Councillors serve for six years, with one-half
of the members standing for election every three years. The House of Councillors cannot be
dissolved in case of conflict between it and the executive branch. The balance of power, though, lies in
the lower house, where general agreement with executive policy must prevail. In case of a deadlock
between the two houses over the selection of a prime minister, the vote of the lower house takes
precedence. The budget must be submitted first to the lower house; if the two houses cannot agree, the
position of the lower house prevails after 30 days. This same provision applies to treaties. With other
legislation, if the councillors reject a bill or refuse to act upon it within 60 days, the House of
Representatives can make it law by repassing it by a two-thirds majority of the members present.
The House of Representatives has 467 members elected from 118 electoral districts. Each district has
from three to five representatives, but the voter casts only one ballot, with the candidates receiving the
highest number of votes being elected. Lower-house members are elected for a term of four years, but
the house can be dissolved at any time by the government, in which case elections must be held within
40 days.
4. As in the past, the Japanese Diet rarely initiates important legislation; such laws ordinarily come to the
Diet under cabinet sponsorship. However, an individual member’s bill can be introduced in the lower
house if it has been signed by 20 or more members, and in the upper house with the signature of 10 or
more members. Under Diet law, the committee system has been drastically altered to accord more with
U.S. practice. Each house has slightly more than 20 standing committees dealing with such subjects as
foreign affairs, finance, and education. Government legislation goes first to the appropriate committee,
where it is examined and often vigorously debated. Membership on these committees is determined by
the Diet in rough accordance with the party ratios in each house. A member normally retains his
assignments as long as he sits in the Diet. Thus he develops some detailed knowledge and may provide a
challenge to government policymakers of opposing parties or convictions.
Legislature:
The Japanese parliament is called the Diet. It consists of the House of Representatives (480 members)
and the House of Councillors (242 members). The members of the Diet are elected by the Japanese
people.
1. Home
2. Japan
3. Government, Military, Crime - Government
JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER, CABINET AND PARLIAMENT
(THE DIET)
JAPANESE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM
Websites and Resources
Japanese Prime Minister
Nakasone on What It Takes to Be Prime Minister
5. Apologizing and Leaving Office in Japan
Cabinet in Japan
Cabinet’s Role in Governing and Controlling the Bureaucracy
Japanese Legislature
Dissolution of Parliament
Dissolution of Parliament and the 'Purple Fukusa' Imperial Rescript
Reforms of the Legislature
Elections in Japan
Duties of the Legislature in Japan
Seat Numbers and Diet Politics
Members of the Japanese Diet
Japanese Legislators
JAPANESE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM
Japanese Diet building Japan, like most democracies in the world, has a parliamentary system with two
“chambers” or “houses” that is based at least in part on the British parliamentary system. The lower
house is the most powerful of the two houses, with the upper house traditionally being a rubber
stamp body with the power to reject or amend legislation. The Prime Minister is the leader of the
party that holds a majority of the seats in the lower house. If there is no majority a coalition
government is formed, which is usually headed by the leader of the largest party in the coalition.
Within the parliamentary system the executive and the legislature are bound together through
elections, procedure and law. This is different than the “federal” system in the United States in which
the president and the legislature are elected separately and there are defined separation of powers
between the president and the legislature. The word parliament is derived from the French word
“parliament,” meaning debate. Parliament-like forms of government existed in ancient Greece and
Rome and other ancient civilizations. Some historians say the first real parliament was in Iceland.
The word parliament was first used in England in 1275 to describe a council of nobles, bishops and
abbots at Westminster.
6. In Japan, it is formally specified that the Diet, as the core of Japan’s system of governance, takes
precedence over the government’s executive branch. The designation of the prime minister, who
heads the executive branch, is done by resolution of the Diet. Japan practices a system of
parliamentary cabinet by which the prime minister appoints the majority of the cabinet members from
among members of the Diet. The cabinet thus works in solidarity with the Diet and is responsible to
it. In this respect, the system is similar to that of Great Britain, but different from that of the United
States, where the three branches of government are theoretically on a level of perfect equality.
[Source: Web-Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan]
“The Diet is divided into two chambers: the lower chamber, or the House of Representatives, and
the upper chamber, or the House of Councillors. The House of Representatives may introduce
“noconfidence motions” with respect to the cabinet. The cabinet, on the other hand, is able to
dissolve the House of Representatives. It also has the authority to designate the chief judge and
appoint the other judges of the Supreme Court. It is the Supreme Court that determines the
constitutionality of any law or official act. The constitut ion authorizes the Diet to “set up an
impeachment court from among the members of both houses in order to try any judges against
whom removal proceedings have been instituted.” Japan’s Diet is designated in the constitution as
“the highest organ of state power.” [Ibid]
Websites and Resources
Links in this Website: GOVERNMENT AND SYMBOLS IN JAPAN Factsanddetails.com/Japan ;
JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER AND PARLIAMENT Factsanddetails.com/Japan ; POLITICS AND
ELECTIONS IN JAPAN Factsanddetails.com/Japan ; POLITICIANS IN
JAPAN Factsanddetails.com/Japan ; BUREAUCRACY IN JAPAN Factsanddetails.com/Japan ;
CORRUPTION AND GOVERNMENT SCANDALS IN JAPAN Factsanddetails.com/Japan ; TAXES,
WELFARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY IN JAPANFactsanddetails.com/Japan ;
Good Websites and Sources: Wikipedia article on the Government of Japan Wikipedia ; Wikipedia
article on the Japanese FlagWikipedia ; Government Organization
Chart kantei.go.jp and kantei.go.jp/foreign/link/chart ; Statistical Handbook of Japan Government
Chapter stat.go.jp/english/data/handbook ; 2010 Edition stat.go.jp/english/data/nenkan ;
News stat.go.jp Governments on the WWW--- Japan Linksgksoft.com ; Japan Echo, a Journal on
Japanese Politics and Society japanecho.com ; Electronic Journal of Japanese
Studies japanesestudies.org
Prime Minister, Legislature and Leaders: CIA List of Current World Leaders /www.cia.gov/library ;
Kantei, Office of the Prime Minister kantei.go.jp ; Cabinet Office cao.go.jp ; House of
Representatives (Shugiin) shugiin.go.jp ; House of Councillors (Sangiin)sangiin.go.jp/ ; National Diet
Library ndl.go.jp/en National Diet Building in Tokyo Photos of National Diet Building at Japan-
Photo Archive japan-photo.de ; Wikipedia Wikipedia ; Japan Visitor Japan Visitor ; Japanese
Lifestyle japaneselifestyle.com.auConstitution Constitution of Japan solon.org/Constitutions/Japan ;
Birth of the Constitution of Japan ndl.go.jp/constitution ; Research Commission on the
Constitution shugiin.go.jp ;
7. Japanese Prime Minister
Prime Minister's office Technically, the Emperor is the head of state and the Prime Minister is the head
of the government: As is the case in Britain, the prime Minister is selected from the dominant party or
coalition of parties in the legislature (the Diet). Executive power is vested in the cabinet (made up of
around 20 ministers), which is selected by the prime minister and collectively responsible to the Diet.
The prime minister is the chief executive of the country; and the person in control of the legislature
and fiscal policy. He (or she) and his cabinet manage all the government departments. He r emains
in power as long as his party remains in power or as long as he is supported by his party. A prime
minister can be replaced if he or she resigns or is voted out by his or her party.
The Prime Minister officially becomes the Prime Minister when he is elected by a majority of the
representatives in the lower house and is sworn in an attestation ceremony before the Emperor at
the Imperial Palace. In most cases a Prime Minister becomes Prime Minister after his party wins an
election or is chosen as a new leader of a party already in power.
A prime minister is required to appear in weekly debates with opposition members in the lower
house and answer question from other legislators. He is not hindered by checks and balances like
those in the United States government. Typically a prime minister typically has two meetings with the
press a day.
The prime minister takes office when he is handed his commission by the Emperor. After taking
office a new prime minister often makes a visit to the important Shinto shrines in Ise to signify the
sanctity of the government. The Prime Minister lives in a house in house known as the “Official
Residence” and flies around in a big 747 with a big red sun on the tail. His monthly salary is
¥2,304,000 a month (about $343,000 a year).
Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone said there were three qualities necessary for being a
good prime minister: sizing up situations, being a unifying force and persuading others.
8. Prime Minister's plane
The election within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) for the LDP leader is effectively the election
for the Prime Minister. Of the 528 votes cast for LDP leader, 304 were from lower house members,
83 were from upper house members, and 141 from prefectural chapters---three from each of the 47
chapters.
As of 2011 there had been 33 prime ministers since the end of World War II. Most were forced to
quit to take responsibility for an election defeat, scandal or because of illness. There have been a
sizable number of cases in which scandals forced prime ministers to step down. Some prime
ministers have resigned soon after achieving major goals. Those cases are divided into two types --
leaving with a real sense of achievement and doing so to give the impression of a smooth transfer of
power in the midst of political deadlock. There have been a sizable number of cases in which
scandals forced prime ministers to step down. [Source: Yomiuri Shimbun]
Among the most important speeches given by the Japanese prime minister is the shoshin hyomei
enzetsu policy speech. “Shoshin hyomei enzetsu” means to present (hyomei) ideas you believe in
(shoshin), and the prime minister addresses the Diet on his or her ideals for running the government.
Prime ministers make policy speeches at the beginning of extraordinary Diet sessions, which are
convened whenever necessary, and when a prime minister is replaced in the middle of a Diet
session.Prime ministers also make policy speeches at the beginning of ordinary Diet sessions, which
are convened every January. But they are different from shoshin hyomei enzetsu. Called "shisei
hoshin enzetsu," they are about the prime minister's administrative policies. [Source: Yomiuri
Shimbun, October 4, 2011]
See the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
Nakasone on What It Takes to Be Prime Minister
Former prime minister Yasuhiro Nakasone wrote in the Yomiuri Shimbun: Requirements to be prime
minister include a strong belief to develop the country and a sense of responsibility for the country's
history and its future citizens. I always told new prime ministers who visited me to keep two things in
mind: One is to find, as soon as possible, people who are on the same side and are willing to die
9. with you. In other words, find people who share a common destiny. In my case, those people were
then Chief Cabinet Secretary Masaharu Gotoda and then Liberal Democratic Party Secretary
General Shin Kanemaru. [Source: Yomiuri Shimbun, February 18, 2012]
The other thing is to find leaders who will cooperate in summits and other international meetings to
realize mutual cooperation, for example, by engaging in correspondence. Diplomacy is like waging a
war without weapons and concluding in peace. At that time, I attended international meetings with
the same sense of urgency as if I were a soldier sent overseas.
The prime minister, in reality, is engaged in a war of politics, not administrative politics. Therefore,
choosing allies within a cabinet is the most important thing.
Since the late 1950s, I wrote down the things I would do if I became prime minister in notebooks. I
had 30 such notebooks just before I became prime minister. A day before I assumed the post, I
chose about 10 things from those notebooks.
Apologizing and Leaving Office in Japan
Nassrine Azimi, senior adviser at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (Unitar),
wrote in the New York Times in June 2010,”Watching Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s teary -eyed
apology to fellow Democratic Party of Japan members... I was not thinking of the usual
commentaries offered in the days before his resignation---squandering of the public mandate,
indecisiveness, aloofness, political paralysis. Rather, watching Hatoyama, I kept thinking that a
politician taking responsibility for his failings and stepping down is truly a sight to behold. In lig ht of
rising public pressure and criticism within his own party ahead of a major election, Hatoyama may
have had little choice. Still, that he did so in a timely manner and with dignity is to his credit.”[Source:
Nassrine Azimi, New York Times, June 7, 2010]
“This is not to suggest that leaders in Japan or elsewhere should throw down the gauntlet at the first
sign of confrontation or public disapproval. But to know that sometimes one’s best contribution is to
leave is surely a virtue. It is also an extremely rare one, as citizens of too many countries with
leaders averse to accepting blame or stepping down can testify...Try to imagine Iran’s Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, or North Korea’s Kim Jong-il, or Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe expressing remorse and
resigning. Or imagine George W. Bush or senior members of his administration apologizing for
leading their country into an ill-conceived and disastrous war in Iraq.” [Ibid]
“The Japanese propensity for taking personal responsibility for failure, frequently misunderstood by
Westerners as contrived or insincere, is in fact deeply embedded in their psyche. Fosco Maraini, the
intrepid Italian anthropologist, wrote in his memoir “Meeting with Japan” that even if the term
Bushido---translated as “the Way of the Samurai”---is no longer practiced in daily life, the nucleus of
traditional ideas such as honor and self-sacrifice continue to influence Japanese politics, business
and family life.”
“When in February of this year Akio Toyoda, the president of Toyota, testified before the U.S.
Congress and took personal responsibility for the failures of his company, it was seen as a matter of
course. But can one even imagine an American executive from Wall Street apologizing in the
10. parliament of another country? Since moving to Japan, I have watched with amazement as public
and private-sector officials have voluntarily stepped down to atone for the errors of their
subordinates. When I was heading an office here, invariably it was the Japanese staff in my team
who were quickest to accept blame for real or imagined failings.”
Cabinet in Japan
Cabinet meeting The prime minister delegates much of his authority to his Cabinet which is usually
made of 17 or so members of his party or coalition parties. The prime minister and the Cabinet are
called “the government.” Some ministers serve as heads of departments. Others fulfill special duties
earmarked by the prime minister. Cabinet minsters are responsible for determining policy. Each
fulfills duties as both the head of a department and a member of parliament.
The chief party secretary is largely regarded as the No. 2 position. The foreign minister is a position
that is regarded as a stepping stone to the premiership. There used to be a deputy prime minister
that was the equivalent to the vice president but that position no longer exists.
The prime minister selects the cabinet. Prime minsters without a clear majority frequently reshuffle
their cabinets to keep every body in line. This generally translates to weak ministers, which have
little control over the bureaucrats.
Cabinet changes are routine in Japan, where 34 prime ministers have served since the end of
World War II. The last four prime ministers---Shinzo Abe, Yasuo Fukuda, Taro Aso and Yukio
Hatoyama, each resigned after barely a year in office, For what its worth each had also been the son
or grandson of a prime minister.
Cabinet’s Role in Governing and Controlling the Bureaucracy
The cabinet, the majority of whose members must come from the Diet, is the supreme decision-making
organ of the executive branch of government. The prime minister, who heads the cabinet,
has the right to appoint and dismiss ministers of state (kokumu daijin) who make up the cabinet. He
or she presides over cabinet meetings and may exercise his or her right to control and guide the
various sectors of the state administrative apparatus. So-called cabinet resolutions are reached on
the basis of a unanimity of views. The prime minister and all members of the cabinet must be,
11. according to the constitution, civilians. The constitution also states, “executive power shall be vested
in the Cabinet.” [Source: Web-Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan]
“However, the cabinet has under its control and coordination a number of ministries and other
central administrative organs to which it delegates the exercise and control of many routine tasks of
Japan’s central government. As part of reform efforts that were aimed at increasing the efficiency
and effectiveness of government operations, in January 2001 the executive branch of the
government underwent an extensive reorganization in which the number of existing ministries and
ministry-level commissions and agencies, 22 at that time, was cut almost in half. In addition to the
newly created Cabinet Office, the cabinet includes 11 ministries, the 11th being created in January
2007 when the DefenseAgency became the Ministry of Defense. As of 2011, each ministry is
headed by a minister of state appointed by the prime minister. Each minister is assisted by one or
two senior viceministers and up to three parliamentary secretaries. These officials are usually
members of the Diet. [Ibid]
“The Cabinet Office was created by the 2001 reorganization in order to strengthen cabinet functions
and the prime minister’s overall policy leadership capability. Headed by the prime minister, the
Cabinet Office drafts plans and provides comprehensive coordination from a level one step above
other government ministries and agencies. The Cabinet Office oversees the Imperial Household
Agency and three external bureaus: Fair Trade Commission, National Public Safety Commission,
and Financial Services Agency. In addition to the ministers of state for special missions, the Cabinet
Office also includes the following three important policy councils: Council for Science and
Technology Policy, Central Disaster Management Council, and Council for Gender Equality. Taken
together, the Cabinet Office, the ministries, and the various agencies and commissions are known
as the central government offices (chuo shocho). [Ibid]
The cabinet has under its control and coordination a number of ministries and other central
administrative organs to which it delegates the exercise and control of many routine tasks of Japan’s
central government. As part of reform efforts that were aimed at increasing the efficiency and
effectiveness of government operations, in January 2001 the executive branch of the government
underwent an extensive reorganization in which the number of existing ministries and ministry -level
commissions and agencies, 22 at that time, was cut almost in half. In addition to the newly created
Cabinet Office, the cabinet includes 11 ministries, the 11th being created in January 2007 when the
DefenseAgency became the Ministry of Defense. As of 2011, each ministry is headed by a minister
of state appointed by the prime minister. Each minister is assisted by one or two senior viceministers
and up to three parliamentary secretaries. These officials are usually members of the Diet. [Ibid]
Japanese Legislature
12. The Japanese legislature (Diet) is a parliamentary body with two houses with 727 seats: the lower
House of Representatives (480 seats) and upper House of Councillors (242 seats). In the lower
house 241 seats is a majority and 252 seats is regarded as a stable majori ty. Of the 480 seats in the
lower house, there are 300 seats in single seat constituencies and 180 proportional representation
seats.
The Diet is officially the sole law-making body. The House of Representatives has more power and
preeminence over the House of Counselors, which has traditionally been a rubber stamp body.
Upper house lawmakers serve six year terms. Unlike the lower house, the upper house cannot be
dissolved for snap elections (See Elections).The House of Representatives is governed by a
tradition that requires major legislation to be passed unanimous consent.
The word Diet is used both to describe only the House of Representatives and the House of
Representatives and the House of Counselors. Even though the word Diet is largely used in the
West to describe the Japanese legislature many Japanese aren’t familiar with the word.
The victory of the opposition Democratic Party in July 2007 elections effectively gave Japan a two -
house legislature. Before that the upper house was never taken seriously and was largely under the
thumb of the LDP. After falling under the control of the Democratic party the upper house and the
Democratic Party has suddenly emerged as major political forces and changed the way politics as
usual operates in Japan by giving the Democratic Party the power to block LDP legislation.
The National Diet Building in Tokyo is an imposing three story white stone structure with a massive
200-foot-high dome. The right half of the building contains the House of Councilors and the left side
contains House of Representatives. Television coverage of parliament debates was introduced in
January, 1998.
Official diet sessions usually begin in mid January.
In Japan it is possible to ram a bill through the lower house and make it law without approval of the
upper house. The Constitution stipulates that the budget will be enacted within 30 days of being sent
to the upper house after being approved by the lower house. If the budget passes the lower house it
is virtually assured of being passed even if it s voted down by the upper house.
13. Often before decisions are made there are endless committee meetings and media leaks that
characterize the country’s consensus-driven decision-making process.
Dissolution of Parliament
The Constitution of Japan states that newly elected or reelected lower house members serve four -
year terms. However, the lower house has normally been dissolved by a process known as "kaisan,"
or dissolution, while chamber members are in office. This would mean that all members of the lower
house would have to give up their seats in the event of dissolution. The right to dissolve the lower
house belongs to the cabinet. [Source: Yomiuri Shimbun, November 15, 2012]
Under the current Constitution, 23 lower house elections have been conducted as of January 2013.
Of them, the December 1976 election was the only one to be held after lower house members' terms
had expired. In many cases, successive prime ministers have dissolved the lower house in a way
that best suited them. For instance, some prime ministers opted for "Shugi-in kaisan" as they faced
difficulties steering their administrations. Other prime minister did so after no-confidence motions
were adopted against their cabinets. [Ibid]
The passage of such a resolution means a cabinet has been branded as untrustworthy by the lower
chamber. Dissolving the lower house for a general election means voters will be allowed to pass
judgment on the government led by a prime minister against whose cabinet no-confidence motion
has been adopted. [Ibid]
Dissolution is possible in Britain and Germany, both of which have a parliamentary system of
government. The system requires a political party that has a majority of seats in the legislature to
form a cabinet. Britain's House of Commons and Germany's Bundestag, both equivalents to Japan's
"Shugi-in," can be dissolved under this system. [Ibid]
Dissolution of Parliament and the 'Purple Fukusa' Imperial
Rescript
In line with Article 7 of the Constitution, the Cabinet approves the dissolution of par liament at its
regular meeting, where the prime minister seeks the endorsement of the dissolution from his Cabinet
ministers, who sign relevant paperwork. The Emperor then signs an Imperial rescript dissolving the
chamber, which the lower house speaker reads to a plenary session. An Imperial rescript
proclaiming the dissolution of the lower house is an official document bearing the Imperial seal and
the Emperor's signature. The dissolution of the lower house is defined as "one of the Emperor's acts
in matters of the state on behalf of the people with the advice and approval of the cabinet" under
Article 7 of the Constitution. [Source: Yomiuri Shimbun, November 18, 2012]
The prime minister must obtain cabinet approval for a lower house dissolution in advance and
collect the signatures of all cabinet members on a cabinet document to obtain the Imperial rescript.
After getting the cabinet's approval, the director general of the Cabinet Affairs Office visits the
Imperial Palace and returns with the Imperial rescript with the Emperor's seal and signature. The
prime minister then signs it. [Ibid]
14. The Imperial rescript itself is kept as a public document and an official copy of the text is delivered
to the lower house speaker as a document giving notification of the dissolution via the chief cabinet
secretary. The lower house is dissolved after the speaker reads out the document. As the rescript is
carried in a purple furoshiki cloth, also called "fukusa," the term "purple fukusa" is often used as a
synonym for dissolution of the lower house. [Ibid]
Reforms of the Legislature
prime minister debate The Japanese bureaucracy has traditionally taken the lead in drafting new budget
and writing legislation with legislature doing little more than rubber stamping the burea ucrats
proposals. The power of bureaucrats was so so strong that politician were unable to cut spending
and pass sweeping new laws.
After the August 2009 elections threw out the old the party, the new leaders vowed to take power
out of the hands of the bureaucrats and put it the hands of the politicians.
One of the first things Hatoyama did was set up the Government Revitalization Unit that was in
charge of identifying and cutting wasteful spending in the government. Resembling a cross between
a Congressional budget hearing and a Spanish Inquisition interrogation, the hearings werw
conducted by the units panels and were often short and harsh. Bureaucrats and supporters of
projects deemed wasteful by the panel were given about 30 minutes to an hour to justi fy their
programs and asked questions by a panel that often had little knowledge of the programs.
The hearings were conducted by 13-member panels and were shown on television. One of the
reasons for having them was to make government more transparent. In one widely shown exchange
the head of a project to build an advanced supercomputer was asked to offer some good reason
why the government should fund the project. The project head said to advance science and compete
with the United States. The head of the panel responded by saying, “Does it matter if the United
States is No.1" and refused a request to increase funding. Scientists, including some Nobel
15. laureates condemned the cuts, arguing the money was vital for Japan to remain competitive in
technology fields.
See history, Hatoyama government
Elections in Japan
General elections are national election in which every seat in the House of Commons is contested.
They are held under two conditions: 1) if there is a no confidence vote by Parliament or 2) the Prime
Minister dissolves Parliament and calls an election. The Prime Minister can call the election at any
time within a five year period after the previous election.
In most case, if the ruling party's poll numbers are high, and its been a while since the last election,
the Prime Minister will call an election. The poll ratings of the ruling party are low they will usually
hold on to power as long as they can and call an election as late as possible.
A no confidence vote is brought by the opposition party. It occurs when the ruling party is unable to
get a bill passed and thus is viewed as unable to govern. It then resigns and a new election is called.
See Separate Article on Elections
Duties of the Legislature in Japan
legislators voting The Diet has additional important functions, such as approving the national budget,
ratifying international treaties, and setting in motion any formal proposals for amending the
constitution. Three categories of Diet sessions are held: ordinary, extraordinary, and special. The
ordinary session, which is convened once a year during January with a term of 150 days, plays the
central role because that is where Diet members deliberate on the next year’s budget and the laws
necessary to implement that budget. Although the House of Councillors and the House of
Representatives share power, the latter predominates in decisions on legislation, designation of the
prime minister, budgetary matters, and international treaties. For example, if a bill is passed by the
House of Representatives but the House of Councillors deliberates otherwise (rejecting the bill or
insisting on alterations), the bill will nevertheless become law if resubmitted to the House of
Representatives and approved by two thirds of the members present. [Source: Web-Japan, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Japan]
16. The main role of the legislature is making laws, all of which begin as bills. Each bill is drafted and
debated and sent to a standing committee made up of members of both the ruling and opposition
parties. After discussion and changes the bill is sent back to the diet, where changes are debated
clause by clause. If the bill is approved, usually by a majority vote in the lower house, it becomes
law. Most bills entail the appropriation of money. The “power of the pur se” is a term used to describe
the power of the parliament to determine how much money is spent on designated programs and
institutions.
Bills are voted on by the lower house. The are then voted on by the upper house. If the bill is
rejected by the upper house it can be approved by the lower house with two thirds or more vote. A
bill approved by the lower house can also be approved if the upper house fails to vote on it within 60
days.
Major dates on the Diet calender include 1) the start of ordinary session in mid January; 2)
submission of fiscal year budget in late January; 3) enactment of fiscal year budget in March.
Sometimes an a 70-day extraordinary Diet session is held from September to November.
Seat Numbers and Diet Politics
The number of seats won by each party in the December 2012 House of Representatives election
will set the course for postelection politics, as explained by the Yomiuri Shimbun in these figures:
241: Majority to pass bills. In the lower house, the ruling party cannot pass bills, including budget -
related items, without a 241-seat majority. The Liberal Democratic Party won a majority in the 2005
and 2102 polls and the Democratic Party of Japan won a majority in the 2009 poll. The LDP won 294
seats in the December 2012 election. [Source: Yomiuri Shimbun, December 17, 2012]
320: Two-thirds majority. A more important figure for the ruling party is 320, the number
corresponding to two-thirds of the total seats in the lower house. Article 59 of the Constitution
stipulates, "A bill that is passed by the House of Representatives, and upon which the House of
Councillors makes a decision different from that of the House of Representatives, becomes a law
when passed a second time by the House of Representatives by a majority of two-thirds or more of
the members present." The LDP and New Komeito together won 325 seats in the December 2012
election. [Ibid]
Currently no party holds a majority in the House of Councillors. No matter how the lower house
election turns out, it is possible the current state of a divided Diet, in which the ruling bloc controls
the lower house while the opposition holds a collective upper house majority, will continue. Given the
circumstances, if the ruling party gains a two-thirds majority in the lower house, government
administration will become easier. In the 2005 lower house election, the LDP and New Komeito won
a total of 327 seats. The two parties lost the majority in the 2007 upper house election and the Diet
became divided. However, the ruling bloc was able to enact laws, including the revised Antiterrorism
Law, from 2007 to 2009 through second voting in the lower house. [Ibid]
51: Third force exerts influence. The Diet Law and the lower house rules stipulate that a Diet
member can only submit bills related to no-confidence motions and budgets with the support of at
least 50 other lawmakers. To submit a bill unrelated to the budget, a member must obtain support
17. from a minimum of 20 other members. In other words, to submit these two types of bills, each party
must secure 51 seats and 21 seats, respectively. For party leaders to take part in interpellations with
the prime minister, a party must hold at least 10 seats in either the lower or upper house. The
Restoration Party won 54 seats in the December 2012 election. [Ibid]
Members of the Japanese Diet
The Diet is made up of members who are directly elected by citizens of at least 20 years of age.
The political parties, to which almost all Diet members belong, are the basic unit s of political activity.
Thus Japan is said to practice party politics. The prime minister is chosen by the Diet from among its
members. The prime minister then forms a cabinet, and the cabinet controls the executive branch of
government. The Diet is the “sole law-making organ of the State.” All legislations must follow a
process leading to final approval in the Diet. [Source: Web-Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan]
“One must be at least 25 years old to be eligible for election to the House of Representatives. As of
2011, the number of members of the House of Representatives is 480. Of these, 300 are chosen
according to the single-seat constituency system, by which just one person is elected from each
district. The other 180 are chosen as per a proportional representation system whereby seats are
distributed to preferred party members according to the proportion of the vote received by the party.
Members of the House of Representatives are elected for four -year terms, but the cabinet may
dissolve the House of Representatives before the end of a full term. One must be at least 30 years
old to be elected to the House of Councillors. [Ibid]
“In 2001 the total number of members was reduced from 252 to 247, and in 2004 it was reduced to
242. As of 2011, of the 242 current seats, 146 are filled according to the electoral district system and
the remaining 96 are filled based on a proportional representation system. All members are chosen
for six-year terms. Half of the total number are chosen every three year s. Members of the House of
Councillors remain in their positions whether or not there is a dissolution of the House of
Representatives. [Ibid]
Japanese Legislators
legislator's "dormitory" room Members of the Diet are elected to terms of four year or less if the Diet is
