The Government

The Japanese government is a parliamentary democracy made up of the legislative, executive and judicial branches. It is based on a Constitution that was created by the Allied powers after World War II.


Legislative

This is deemed the most powerful branch of government by the Constitution, although whether it really is is debatable. The Japanese parliament, known as the Diet, has two houses: The House of Councillors, or upper house, and the House of Representatives, or lower house.

The lower house holds most of the power because it appoints the prime minister, approves the budget and ratifies treaties. But a bill must pass both houses to become a law.

Both houses are currently controlled by a coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito Party, which is connected with Japan's largest lay Buddhist orgainzation, Soka Gakkai. The next national election will be an upper house vote scheduled for July 2007.

The Liberal Democratic Party has been in charge of the Diet for most of the postwar years. The main opposition party is the Democratic Party of Japan.


Executive

This is the prime minister's Cabinet and the ministries. The Cabinet includes the heads of the various ministries.

The ministries are quite powerful, and many analysts would argue that they hold sway in setting national policy. Because the workers in the ministries all the way up to the vice minister are career, and not political, appointees, they have a wealth of institutional knowledge perhaps unmatched by any bureaucracy anywhere. They are said to work extraordinarily long hours as well.


Judicial

Judges are appointed by the Cabinet, and the highest court in the land is the Supreme Court. The other types of courts are the high courts, the district courts, family courts and summary courts.