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Prime Minister of Japan

 
Prime Minister of Japan

 
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The is the usual English-language term used for the head of government
Head of government

The head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet . In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled Prime Minister, President of the Government, Premier, etc....
 of Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime Minister of the Cabinet. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan

The of Japan is the symbol of the state and of the unity of the Japanese people. He is the head of the Imperial House of Japan. Under Japan's present constitution, the Emperor is the "symbol of the state and the unity of the people," and is a ceremonial figurehead in a constitutional monarchy ....
 after being designated by the Diet
Diet of Japan

The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives of Japan, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors....
 from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Japan

The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for four-year terms....
 to remain in office. The Prime Minister is the head of the Cabinet and appoints and dismisses the Ministers of State.






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The is the usual English-language term used for the head of government
Head of government

The head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet . In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled Prime Minister, President of the Government, Premier, etc....
 of Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime Minister of the Cabinet. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan

The of Japan is the symbol of the state and of the unity of the Japanese people. He is the head of the Imperial House of Japan. Under Japan's present constitution, the Emperor is the "symbol of the state and the unity of the people," and is a ceremonial figurehead in a constitutional monarchy ....
 after being designated by the Diet
Diet of Japan

The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives of Japan, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors....
 from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Japan

The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for four-year terms....
 to remain in office. The Prime Minister is the head of the Cabinet and appoints and dismisses the Ministers of State. Taro Aso
Taro Aso

is the current Prime Minister of Japan, having taken office on September 24, 2008. He is also President of the Liberal Democratic Party , and has served in the House of Representatives of Japan since 1979....
 has been the prime minister since 24 September 2008.

The office was created in 1885, four years before the enactment of the Meiji Constitution
Meiji Constitution

The , more commonly known as the 'Imperial' or 'Meiji Constitution', was the fundamental law of the Empire of Japan from 29 November 1890 until 2 May 1947....
. It took its current form with the adoption of the current constitution
Constitution of Japan

The has been the founding legal document of Japan since 1947. The constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights....
 in 1947.

Appointment

The Prime Minister is designated by both houses of the Diet
Diet of Japan

The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives of Japan, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors....
, before the conduct of any other business. For that purpose, each conducts a ballot under the run-off
Two-round system

The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner. Under runoff voting, the voter simply casts a single vote for their favorite candidate....
 system. If the two houses choose different individuals, then a joint committee of both houses is appointed to agree on a common candidate. Ultimately, however, if the two houses do not agree within ten days, the decision of the House of Representatives is deemed to be that of the Diet. Therefore, the House of Representatives can theoretically ensure the appointment of any Prime Minister it wishes. The candidate is then formally appointed to office by the Emperor
Emperor of Japan

The of Japan is the symbol of the state and of the unity of the Japanese people. He is the head of the Imperial House of Japan. Under Japan's present constitution, the Emperor is the "symbol of the state and the unity of the people," and is a ceremonial figurehead in a constitutional monarchy ....
.

The Prime Minister must resign if the House of Representatives adopts a motion of no confidence or defeats a vote of confidence, unless the House of Representatives is dissolved within ten days.alifications



  • Must be a member of either house of the Diet. (This implies a minimum age of 25 and a Japanese nationality requirement.)
  • Must be a "civilian." This excludes members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
    Japan Self-Defense Forces

    The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF, are the Armed forces in Japan that were established after the end of the post-World War II American occupation of Japan....
    , as well as any former member of the Imperial Japanese Army
    Imperial Japanese Army

    The Imperial Japanese Army , or literally Army of Empire of Greater Japan was the official ground based armed force of Imperial Japan from 1867 to 1945....
     and Imperial Japanese Navy
    Imperial Japanese Navy

    The origins of the Imperial Japanese Navy trace back to early interactions with nations on the Asia, beginning in the early history of Japan#Feudal Japan and reaching a peak of activity during the 16th and 17th centuries at a time of cultural diffusion with European power during the Age of Discovery....
     who is strongly connected to militarist
    Militarism

    File:CaptainJ.R.Jellicoe.jpgMilitarism is the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
     thought. Note that former military officers from the World War II
    World War II

    World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
     era may be appointed prime minister despite the "civilian" requirement, Yasuhiro Nakasone
    Yasuhiro Nakasone

    Yasuhiro Nakasone is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from November 27, 1982 to November 6, 1987. A contemporary of Ronald Reagan, Helmut Kohl, Fran?ois Mitterrand, Margaret Thatcher, and Mikhail Gorbachev, he is best known for pushing through the privatization of state-owned companies, and for helping to revit...
     being one prominent example.


Role


Constitutional roles

  • Exercises "control and supervision" over the entire executive branch.
  • Presents bills to the Diet on behalf of the Cabinet.
  • Signs laws and Cabinet orders (along with other members of the Cabinet).
  • Appoints all Cabinet ministers, and can dismiss them at any time.
  • May permit legal action to be taken against Cabinet ministers.
  • Must make reports on domestic and foreign relations to the Diet.
  • Must report to the Diet upon demand to provide answers or explanations.


Statutory roles

  • Presides over meetings of the Cabinet.
  • Commander in chief of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
    Japan Self-Defense Forces

    The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF, are the Armed forces in Japan that were established after the end of the post-World War II American occupation of Japan....
    .
  • May override a court injunction against an administrative act upon showing of cause.


Insignia





History

After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration

The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure....
, the Daijo-kan system, which was used in the Nara period
Nara period

The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijo-kyo . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyo, in 784 before moving to Heian-kyo , or Kyoto, a decade lat...
, was adopted as the Japanese government entity. Political powers of their leader, Daijo Daijin and his aids, Sadaijin
Sadaijin

Sadaijin , most commonly translated as "Minister of the Left", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara period and Heian periods....
 and Nadaijin were ambiguous and frequently conflicted with other positions such as Sangi. In the 1880s, Ito Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi

Prince was a Japanese statesman, Resident-General of Korea, four time Prime Minister of Japan and genro. Ito was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the Annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire....
, then one of Sangi, started to examine the reformation of the governmental organization. In 1882, Ito and his staff, Ito Miyoji
Ito Miyoji

Count was a statesman in Meiji period Japan....
 and Saionji Kinmochi
Saionji Kinmochi

Prince was a Japanese politician, statesman and twice Prime Minister of Japan. His title does not signify the son of an emperor, but the highest rank of Japanese hereditary nobility; he was elevated from marquis to prince in 1920....
, traveled to Europe and investigated constitutions in constitutional monarchies
Constitutional monarchy

A constitutional monarchy is a form of constitutional government, where in either an elected or hereditary monarch is the head of state, unlike in an absolute monarchy, wherein the king or the queen is the sole source of political power, as he or she is not legally bound by the constitution....
, the British Empire
British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, and other Dependent territory ruled or administered by the United Kingdom , that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries....
 and the German Empire
German Empire

The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from the unification of Germany and proclamation of William I, German Emperor as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became Weimar republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of William II, German Emperor ....
. After his return to Japan, Ito urged the need of a Constitution
Constitution

A constitution is a system for government — often codified as a written document — that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity....
 and a modern governmental system and persuaded conservatives to approve his plan.

On 22 December 1885, in the Daijo-kan order No. 69, abolition of Daijo-kan and the induction of the Prime Minister and his cabinet were published.

Official office and residence

The Office of the Prime Minister of Japan is called the Kantei
Kantei

The , also known as the or simply , is the office of the Prime Minister of Japan. It is located in the Nagatacho, Tokyo neighborhood of Chiyoda, Tokyo, diagonally opposite the National Diet Building....
. The original Kantei served from 1929 until 2002. A new building was inaugurated at this time and now serves as the new Kantei. The old Kantei was then converted to the new official residence, or Kotei.

Living former Japanese Prime Ministers

  • Yasuhiro Nakasone
    Yasuhiro Nakasone

    Yasuhiro Nakasone is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from November 27, 1982 to November 6, 1987. A contemporary of Ronald Reagan, Helmut Kohl, Fran?ois Mitterrand, Margaret Thatcher, and Mikhail Gorbachev, he is best known for pushing through the privatization of state-owned companies, and for helping to revit...
     (born 27 May 1918)
  • Toshiki Kaifu
    Toshiki Kaifu

    is a Japanese politician who was the 76th and 77th Prime Minister of Japan from 1989 to 1991.He was born in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, and was educated at Chuo University and Waseda University....
     (born 2 January 1931)
  • Morihiro Hosokawa
    Morihiro Hosokawa

    Morihiro Hosokawa is a Japanese politician who was the 79th Prime Minister of Japan from August 9, 1993 to April 28, 1994. His coalition was the first non-Liberal Democratic Party government since 1955....
     (born 14 January 1938)
  • Tsutomu Hata
    Tsutomu Hata

    is a Japanese politician and was the 80th Prime Minister of Japan for several weeks in 1994.He was born in Tokyo, a son of the Liberal Democratic Party Member of Parliament Bushiro Hata....
     (born 24 August 1935)
  • Tomiichi Murayama
    Tomiichi Murayama

    is a retired Japanese politician who served as the 81st Prime Minister of Japan from June 30, 1994 to January 11, 1996. He was the head of the Social Democratic Party and the first Socialist prime minister in nearly fifty years....
     (born 3 March 1924)
  • Yoshiro Mori
    Yoshiro Mori

    Yoshiro Mori is a Japanese politician who served as the 85th and 86th Prime Minister of Japan starting at April 5, 2000 ending April 26, 2001. Described as having "the heart of a flea and the brain of a shark," he was an unpopular prime minister mainly remembered today for his many gaffes and situationally inappropriate actions....
     (born 14 July 1937)
  • Jun'ichiro Koizumi
    Junichiro Koizumi

    is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He is going to retire from politics when his term in parliament ends....
     (born 8 January 1942)
  • Shinzo Abe
    Shinzo Abe

    was the 90th Prime Minister of Japan, elected by a special session of the Diet of Japan on 26 September 2006. He was Japan's youngest post-World War II prime minister and the first born after the war....
     (born 21 September 1954)
  • Yasuo Fukuda
    Yasuo Fukuda

    was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving for three and a half years under Prime Ministers Yoshiro Mori and Junichiro Koizumi....
     (born 16 July 1936)


See also

  • List of Prime Ministers of Japan
    List of Prime Ministers of Japan

    This is a list of Prime Ministers of Japan, and its predecessor state the Empire of Japan, from when the first Prime Minister of Japan , Hirobumi Ito, took office in 1885, until the present day....
  • Politics of Japan
    Politics of Japan

    The politics of Japan is in a framework of a parliamentary system representative democracy monarchy, where the Prime Minister of Japan is the head of government, and of a multi-party system....
  • History of Japan
    History of Japan

    The written history of Japan begins with brief references of Twenty-Four Histories, a collection of Chinese historical texts, in the 1st century AD....
  • Parliamentary system
    Parliamentary system

    Parliamentary systems are characterized by no clear-cut separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, leading to a different set of checks and balances compared to those found in presidential systems....


External links

  • . Official website.
  • .