JapanA Unitary Nation

A presentation by Brock Reish and Patrick Meador

Emperor

www.faroukmisr.net

•Ceremonial duties only

•The throne is dynastic.

•NO power in the government

The Emperor

Key Characteristics of the Government

The House of Representatives (low house)

The House of Councilors (upper house)

Collectively called “The Diet”

The executive branch Prime Minister Appointed cabinet

Government Structure

House of Reps. appoint the Prime Minister

Nothing happens without Diet approval

Constitutional Highlights

• Equal Rights– No discrimination based on race, creed, sex,

social status, or family origin. (article 14)

• Religious Freedom– The government will refrain from religious

involvement. People are free in all religious decisions. (article 20)

• Renunciation of War

- A military will not be maintained for the purpose of intimidation or war. Global peace will always be the goal. (article 9)

Where did it come from? Outlined by General

Douglas MacArthur after WWII.

Strong American influence

Rule of Law

The Diet is the highest power of the state.

Prime minister appointed by the house of representatives.

People vote directly for representatives.

Court System 5 levels of courts

Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts, Family Courts and Summary Courts

The Supreme court is the highest and handles all final appeals

Supreme court composed of 15 justices divided into 3 benches

Voting

House of Councilors 100 members voted at large 152 voted as prefectural members 6-year terms, one half every 3

House of Representatives 467 members Voted from districts (3-5 reps each) 4-year terms

Economics

Boast one of the most economically free nations

Ranked 24th “freest” nation by the 2013 Index of Economic Freedom

Major Issues Aging Population

Slow birth rate

Government is unpopular

Poverty is growing

Works Cited

"Diet." Encyclopædia Britannica. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2013. <http://www.britannica.com/

EBchecked/topic/162773/Diet#ref217977>. kantei. Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2013. http://www.kantei.go.jp/ foreign/constitution_and_government_of_japan/constitution_e.html

"Japan." 2013 Index of Economic Freedom. The Heritage Foundation, n.d. Web. 26      Aug. 2013. <http://www.heritage.org/index/country/japan#>.