Japan is a country well known for cherry blossoms and their technology.The smooth development of technology and infrastructure does not take place if the government is not supportive. The government of Japan plays a vital role in the advancement of its people.The government of Japan is known to be the first parliamentarian government in Asia. It is a very interesting fact that there is still a king in the country while they have a central government in place. This Japanese government comes into power by the general election.The government of Japan is a constitutional monarchy. This has been the same under the rule of the oldest constitution present in Asia. The last emperor in the whole world can be seen here in Japan. When the Second World War finished, the structure of power changed. The Emperor of Japan has very limited powers. He is mainly the representative of the state and does ceremonial duties only.Japan’s constitution was made public in the year 1946. This came into force in the year 1947. It was finally superseding the old Meiji Constitution, present since 1889. The new constitution had two main features: the principle of sovereignty and the responsibility of the state to maintain Japan.Japan has to be upheld as a peaceful and democratic country forevermore. The emperor shall no more have the state power of all sovereign authority. He shall now only represent the symbol and unity of the people. From then on the sovereign power rested with the people of Japan. The fundamental human rights shall be explicitly guaranteed by the government ruling the nation.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about Japanese geography facts or Japan flag facts here at Kidadl?What type of government does Japan have?The government of Japan was the first Parliamentary Government in Asia.The Japanese Government primarily has three branches: the executive branch (the prime minister along with his cabinet) having all executive power, the legislative branches (bicameral legislature) having legislative powers, and the judicial branch (supreme court and judicial system). These have been defined by the written constitution of Japan.The legislative branch is comprised of the country’s only law-making body known as the National Diet. The Diet comprises of two houses - the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. Members for both are elected by the public by a general election. Members of each house have to serve a minimum of one standing committee while ordinary sessions. This generally begins in January and lasts for 150 days.The executive branch is led by the prime minister. He is nominated through the process of a resolution passed by the Diet, then officially appointed by the Emperor. The prime minister’s office comprises his cabinet. There are cabinet ministers and cabinet state ministers. They are all designated by the prime minister. These are supported by the local government. These ministers serve office until they have been dismissed by the prime minister. The Lower House can also pass a no-confidence resolution to dissolve the entire cabinet all at once. This shall include the prime minister as well. A no-confidence resolution against the cabinet does not finally result in dissolution if the Lower House gets dissolved itself within 10 days of passing the resolution. The cabinet shall include the cabinet office, 11 ministries, and cabinet agencies. The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare are the main ones. These central government offices, known as the chuo shocho, make way for Japan through the implementation of various policies and legislation initiated by the cabinet.The judicial branch is comprised of the supreme court and four other lower courts. The supreme court makes sure that legislation is passed and actions are taken thereafter by the cabinet and the Diet remains constitutional. The chief justice of the supreme court is appointed by cabinet nomination. The official appointment is made by the Emperor. The appointment of the rest of the 14 justices is done by the cabinet. These appointments are reviewed after a certain period of time by the House of Representatives. This can be terminated by a majority vote. Though such an event has never happened. The age of retirement for supreme court justices is 70. Itsuro Terada is the current chief justice, he has been serving since April 2014. The Supreme Court is above high courts, family courts, district courts, and summary courts. Most trials have one to three judges at the same time.Why does Japan still have a king?The royal family of Japan is the oldest royal family in the world.The Emperor of Japan is the head of the Imperial Family. He is a symbolic head of the nation. He has no state powers. It has been mentioned in their constitution. The Emperor’s role is simply defined in the constitution as ’the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people’. The National Diet is the highest organ in decision-making.When are the general elections held in Japan?The latest general elections in Japan were held on October 31, 2021. Voting took place to elect members to the House of Representatives that are associated with the lower house of the National Diet.In Japan, national elections happen frequently. Lately, there has been an election every one and a half years. Members of the Lower House have been forced to leave office without completion of a four-year term. Every three years, elections have been held for the Upper House as well but these do not affect the working of district courts, family courts, or high courts.These frequent elections have made the government and all political parties pay critical attention to the needs of the people.When did Japan form its government?The Constitution of Japan was designed and finalized in the year 1946. It was implemented in the year 1947. This laid the very foundation for Japan’s government in a parliamentary form. There are three main branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. They have non-overlapping powers so the running of the nation is smooth.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Japanese government facts then why not take a look at Japanese education facts, or Japanese art facts?
Japan is a country well known for cherry blossoms and their technology.
