Organization and Structure of Japanese Government Essay

Organization and Structure of Japanese Government - Essay Example He also appoints the Prime Minister and the Chief Judge of the Supreme Court as designated by the Diet and the Cabinet respectively. In this respect, the position of the Emperor in postwar Japan differs from that in the prewar days when the Emperor was the source of sovereign power. Sovereignty is now is the people's domain. The Imperial Throne is dynastic and descendant from father to son. According to the data in Wikipedia.org, Emperor Akihito (born December 23, 1933) is the current Emperor of Japan and the 125th according to the traditional order of succession. He is the world's only reigning emperor. In Japan the reigning emperor is never referred to by his first name, but rather is referred to simply as tenn heika ("His Majesty the Emperor"). The era of Emperor Akihito's reign bears the name "Heisei" and by custom, after his death, he will be renamed "Emperor Heisei". The Diet, composed of two Houses, na... The citizens of Japan over 20 years of age are eligible to vote. The House of Representatives is composed of 500 members. The minimum eligible age to be elected to it is 25.The term of office of members of the House of Representatives is generally four years. The representatives are elected directly by the people. They go on to complete their term of office unless the House itself is dissolved. The House of Councilors is composed of 252 members who are also elected directly by the people. Their minimum age requirement is 30 years. Their term of office is six years, and a half of them is elected every three years. Both Houses have more or less the same power but in some exceptional cases the decision of the House of Representatives takes precedence of that of the House of Councilors. Each House has the Secretariat and the Legislation Bureau. The Diet begins its 150-day ordinary session from January each year. 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. Although Japan is still considered a very Conservative nation, there is no discrimination because of race, creed, sex, social status, family origin, education, property or income. The Cabinet The cabinet is the Executive part of the State. It is headed by the Prime Minister and comprises of a maximum of 20 Ministers of State. This would include the Cabinet Secretary and some Ministers without a portfolio as well. They are held responsible to the Diet. The Cabinet has to resign en masse when the post of Prime Minister becomes vacant. If the House of Representatives passes a no confidence resolution or rejects