Japan is an empire with a constitutional division of power similar to the way many monarchies in Europe are governed. As in the UK, the parliament consists of a lower and upper house, which decides on laws.
The parliament initially had relatively little power, but it was after the first Sino-Japanese war that they gained more powers. Parliament began to become more partisan during the so-called Taishō democracy, which is also when it began to resemble a modern parliament. But the increasing militarisation of the country led to a military coup in 1940.
It was the so-called May 15 coup, and with it the Pacific War also put a temporary stop to further democratic development. After the end of the Second World War, the democratisation of the country continued and the following year an occupation constitution was instituted. It is partly based on a European model but has elements of Japanese tradition.
The Japanese name of the Parliament
Now we’ve explained a bit about Japan’s parliament, but what is it called and how is it structured? The Japanese word for parliament is Kokkai and consists of two chambers. The upper house consists of 242 members and the lower house consists of 480 members, with the representatives in the upper house serving a six-year term and the lower house being elected for four years.
Parliament also appoints the country’s prime minister. The House of Commons also has the greatest power in the country and can dismiss the country’s prime minister without the approval of the House of Lords if necessary. In addition, the House of Commons can overrule decisions made by the House of Lords concerning the country on its own. So now that you’ve read this, you can answer the next quiz correctly when you’re asked “What is the name of Japan’s parliament?”
