Japan has a constitutional monarchy with an emperor as the ceremonial head of state. The executive branch is headed by a prime minister as head of government who selects cabinet members. The bicameral legislative branch is the Diet, made up of the House of Councillors and the more powerful House of Representatives. The judicial branch's highest court is the Supreme Court headed by a chief justice.

1. political institution

2. Government
- Constitutional
monarchy
(Japan Government Profile 2013, 2013)

3. Emperor:
• Imperial Head
• Ceremonial figurehead
• Symbolism
Duties:
• Receiving
• Awarding
• Appointing
(The Government of Modern Japan: The Branches and Their Functions,
2009)

4. Emperor Akihiko

5. The Executive Branch

6. Cabinet
• Prime Minister
• Members of the Cabinet

7. Prime Minister
• Head of Government
Functions:
• Head
• Presides
• Appoint and Dismiss
• Control and guide
(Governmental Structure, n. d.)

8. Shinzo Abe

9. Cabinet Members
• Diet member
• Appointed

10. Cabinet Powers
• Implementing
• Engaging
• Signing
• Overseeing

11. • Formulating and submitting
• Enacting
• Deciding
Also:
Naming the Chief Justice of the SC
and appointing other Judges.
(The Statistical Handbook of Japan 2012, n. d. )

12. The Legislative Branch

13. Kokkai or Diet
• Bicameral
• Highest branch of state power
• “sole law-making organ of the state”
Responsibility:
• Enact legislation

14. Powers:
• Initiating
• Settling
• Approving
• Selecting
3 Categories of Diet Sessions:
• Ordinary
• Extraordinary
• Special
(Governmental Structure, n. d.)

15. Chambers:
• House of Councillors
• House of Representatives

16. Sangi-in or House of Councillors
• The Upper House
• 242 seats
• 6-year term
• Cannot be dissolved
• Can reject bills

17. Shugi-in or House of the
Representative
• Lower house
• More powerful
• 480 seats
• Four year term
• Can be dissolved
(Governmental Structure, n. d.)
(Politics in Japan: The Political System, n. d.)

18. The Judiciary Branch

19. Supreme Court
• Highest court
• Chief Justice
• 14 other judges
Duties:
-to determine the constitutionality
of laws and all its decision is final.

20. Court System:
- 3- trial System
Four Types of Lower-level Court:
• High courts (8)
• District Courts (50)
• Family Courts (50)
• Summary Courts (438)
(Governmental Structure, n. d.)
(The Government of Modern Japan: The Branches and Their Functions,
2009)

21. Reference:
Governmental structure. (n.d.). Japan Fact Sheet. Retrieved July
30, 2013 from http://web-
japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/e08_governmental.pdf
Japan government profile 2013. (2013). Retrieved August 12 from
http://www.indexmundi.com/japan/government_profile.html
Politics in Japan: the political system. (n. d.) Retrieved July 30,
2013 from
http://hhh.gavilan.edu/mturetzky/Pols3/Lecture6TheJapanese
PoliticalSystem.htm
The Government of Modern Japan: The Branches and Their
Functions. (2009). Asia for Educators. Retrieved July 30, 2013
from
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1950_govt.htm
The Statistical Handbook of Japan 2012 (n. d.). Retrieved August
2, 2013 from
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/handbook/index.htm