Composition and Powers of the National Diet
– The National Diet is composed of two houses elected under parallel voting systems.
– Any Japanese national at least 18 years old can vote in these elections.
– The Constitution of Japan does not specify the number of members or the voting system.
– The National Diet is the highest organ of State power and the sole law-making organ.
– Its responsibilities include making laws, approving the national budget, and ratifying treaties.
– The Diet can initiate draft constitutional amendments, subject to a referendum.
– The Prime Minister is designated by Diet resolution, establishing legislative supremacy.
– The Diet has the power to conduct investigations and impeach judges.
Roles and Activities of the Houses of the National Diet
– The House of Representatives is the more powerful chamber.
– The House of Councillors can only delay adoption of a budget or treaty approved by the lower house.
– The House of Representatives can overrule the upper house in certain circumstances.
– The lower house can pass a bill rejected or not approved by the upper house within 60 days.
– The lower house’s decision prevails if both houses cannot agree on a budget, treaty, or Prime Minister.
– At least one session of the Diet must be convened each year.
– The House of Representatives is dissolved before an election.
– The Emperor convokes the Diet and dissolves the House of Representatives based on Cabinet advice.
– The presence of one-third of the membership constitutes a quorum.
– Each house elects its own presiding officer and has parliamentary immunity.
Legislative Procedures and Protections
– A bill must be passed by both houses and promulgated by the Emperor to become law.
– The Emperor’s role in legislation is ceremonial and cannot refuse to promulgate a law.
– Members of the Diet have protections against arrest while in session.
– Each house determines its own standing orders and disciplines its own members.
– Cabinet members have the right to appear and speak in either house, and the houses can compel their appearance.
National Diet Buildings
– The National Diet Library contains four buildings: the main building, the annex, the Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library, and the International Library of Children’s Literature.
– The main building has a centralized stack system and is equipped with pneumatic carrier pipe and conveyor systems for rapid movement of materials.
– The administrative space surrounding the stack space unit includes a catalog hall, reading rooms, and research rooms for general visitors and diet members.
– The annex is located north of the main building and emphasizes natural and harmonious linkage with the main building. It houses an exhibition room and an auditorium.
– The Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library is a facility in Keihanna Science City that serves as a storage space and center for library services.
– The International Library of Children’s Literature contains a children’s library, stacks, and a researcher’s reading room.
Historical Development and Statistics
– Japan’s first modern legislature was the Imperial Diet established by the Meiji Constitution in force from 1889 to 1947.
– The first Imperial Diet of 1890 faced controversy and political tensions, particularly regarding military funding.
– The Imperial Diet consisted of a House of Representatives and a House of Peers, with the House of Representatives being directly elected.
– The Meiji Constitution was based on the constitutional monarchy found in nineteenth-century Prussia.
– The Emperor had veto power over the Diet and complete freedom in choosing the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
– There are three types of sessions of the National Diet: regular, extraordinary, and special sessions.
– The proportional representation system for the House of Councillors was introduced in 1982.
– Universal adult male suffrage was introduced in 1925.
– The Meiji Constitution granted a real political role to the Emperor, with the Emperor having veto power over the Diet.
– The House of Representatives and the House of Peers constituted the Imperial Diet.
– The National Diet has the power to veto the annual budget. Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Diet
