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The present Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947, during the American occupation after the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II.
The Constitution of the Empire of Japan (1889–1947)
The first constitution in Japan was enacted by the Emperor during the Meiji Era on February 11, 1889. In it, the authors outlined the role of the Emperor and the Imperial Family; the rights of citizens; the structure of the national legislature (Imperial Diet); the roles of Ministers of State and judiciary; and rights of taxation.
Article 1 of the first chapter states that Japan shall be ruled by the Emperor and the Imperial Family for "ages eternal", adding—in contradictory terms—that the Emperor is inviolable (Article 3) and at the same time subordinate to the Constitution (Article 4). The second chapter, in detailing the rights of citizens, bears a resemblance to similar articles in both European and American governments of the day.
- See also Meiji Constitution (which is to be merged)
The Constitution of Japan (1947–present)
The Constitution of Japan was largely drafted by American lawyers in the occupation authority. The present-day constitution was written under the close supervision of General Douglas MacArthur and the occupation forces. Much of it was drafted by two senior Army officers with law degrees, Milo Rowell and Courtney Whitney. The articles about equality between men and women are reported to be written by Beate Sirota. Although the document's authors were non-Japanese, they took into account the Meiji Constitution, the demands of Japanese attorneys, and the opinions of pacifist political leaders such as Shidehara Kijuro and Yoshida Shigeru.
On March 6, 1946, the government publicly disclosed an outline of the pending constitution. The 90th Imperial Diet approved the constitution on November 3, 1946, which would take effect on May 3, 1947.
Notable parts of the Constitution include the designation of the Emperor as the symbol of the state with ceremonial powers, Article 9, which forbids Japan from having an army or a navy except in self-defense, and the establishment of judicial review.
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Constitution of Japan
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