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Constitution of Japan

The Constitution of Japan (Shinjitai: 日本国憲法, Kyūjitai: 日本國憲󠄁法, Hepburn: Nihon-koku kenpō) 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.[4]

This article is about state constitution enacted on 3 May 1947. For constitution enacted on 3 May 1791, see Constitution of 3 May 1791.

Constitution of Japan

日本国憲法

Three

Not defined in constitution.[2] The Emperor is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people", but carries many functions of a head of state.[1]

Allied GHQ and members of the Imperial Diet

The constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental human rights. In contrast to the Meiji Constitution, which invested the Emperor of Japan with supreme political power, under the new constitution the Emperor was reduced to "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people" and exercises only a ceremonial role acting under the sovereignty of the people for constitutional monarchy.[5]


The constitution, also known as the MacArthur Constitution,[6][7] "Post-war Constitution" (戦後憲法, Sengo-Kenpō), or the "Peace Constitution" (平和憲法, Heiwa-Kenpō),[8] was drafted under the supervision of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, during the Allied occupation of Japan after World War II.[9] Japanese scholars reviewed and modified it before adoption.[10] It changed Japan's previous system of semi-constitutional monarchy and stratocracy with a parliamentary monarchy. The Constitution is best known for Article 9, by which Japan renounces its right to wage war and maintain military forces.[11] Despite this, Japan retains de facto military capabilities in the form of the Self-Defense Forces and also hosts a substantial American military presence.


The Japanese constitution is the oldest unamended constitution in the world. It has not had any amendments to its text in more than 70 years. At roughly 5,000 words, it is a relatively short constitution; the average national constitution has about 21,000 words.[3][12]

I. The Emperor (Articles 1–8)

II. Renunciation of War ()

Article 9

III. Rights and Duties of the People (Articles 10–40)

IV. The Diet (Articles 41–64)

V. The Cabinet (Articles 65–75)

VI. Judiciary (Articles 76–82)

VII. Finance (Articles 83–91)

VIII. Local Self–Government (Articles 92–95)

IX. Amendments (Article 96)

X. Supreme Law (Articles 97–99)

XI. Supplementary Provisions (Articles 100–103)

(604) - rather a document of moral teachings, not a constitution in the modern meaning.

Seventeen-article constitution

(1889)

Meiji Constitution

The Constitution of Japan Project 2004. Rethinking the Constitution: An Anthology of Japanese Opinion. Trans. by F. Uleman. Kawasaki, Japan: Japan Research Inc., 2008.  1-4196-4165-4.

ISBN

Kapur, Nick (2018). . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0674984424.

Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo

Kishimoto, Koichi. Politics in Modern Japan. Tokyo: Japan Echo, 1988.  4-915226-01-8. Pages 7–21.

ISBN

Matsui, Shigenori. The Constitution of Japan: A Contextual Analysis. Oxford: Hart Publishing, 2011.  978-1-84113-792-6.

ISBN

Hook, Glenn D., ed. (2005). . London: RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 978-0415364980.

Contested governance in Japan : sites and issues

Moore, Ray A.; Robinson, Donald L. (2004). . Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195171761.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Partners for democracy : crafting the new Japanese state under MacArthur

Takemae, Eiji (2002). Inside GHQ: The Allied Occupation of Japan and its Legacy. Translated by Ricketts, Robert; Swann, Sebastian. New York: Continuum.  0826462472.

ISBN

. King's Law Journal. 2 (2). 2015.

"Special Issue Constitutional Law in Japan and the United Kingdom"

Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the . Japan: A Country Study. Federal Research Division.

public domain

from the Cabinet

Full text of Constitution