Japan is a nation with a complex and interesting history, as it has gone through numerous cycles of development and growth – from ancient to modern times. But did you know that Japan is not a republic? As part of its unique form of government, Japan’s type of political system is considered a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. In short, the emperor is the symbol of Japanese state power, but the power is held by citizens through their elected representatives at the legislature.
So what makes Japan a parliamentary constitutional monarchy and not a republic? In this comprehensive article, we’ll be discussing the foundation of the Japanese government, explaining what makes Japan a constitutional monarchy and not a republic, and discussing the drawbacks and advantages of Japan’s unique political system.
Defining Republics and Monarchy
Before we can look at why Japan isn’t technically a republic country, we must first understand the differences between a republic and a monarchy. On a basic level, a republic is a state in which control of the government is in the hands of the citizens – who elect their representatives to full two-thirds of the state’s political office. On the other hand, a monarchy is a government in which the head of state – traditionally a monarchy – is given all the power over the nation.
What Makes Japan a Constitutional Monarchy?
When it comes to Japan, rather than being a republic, the nation is actually a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. In a constitutional monarchy, the political power is still held by the head of state – Emperor Akihito – however, much of the power is vested in a legislature which is accountable to the nation’s citizens. This legislature is the National Diet – which is the country’s bicameral legislature.
The Diet fulfills several functions, such as legislating for the nation, electing the prime minister, and having the power to impeach the prime minister if necessary. The individuals in the Diet are elected from the various political parties, districts, and proportional representation – while the total number of members is set by law.
Drawbacks of the System
The parliamentary constitutional monarchy system of government found in Japan comes with some drawbacks. As the emperor has the power to veto any bill, the power of the legislature can be challenged. In addition, due to the complex party politics that exists in Japan – which are generally quite militant – it can be difficult for a president to push through policies as it requires a majority in both the lower and upper houses of the Diet.
Besides the Diet not always having ultimate power, the complexity of the party politics also makes it hard for outsiders – such as the Foreign Minister – to influence internal Japanese politics. Furthermore, factions within the emperor’s court can also have a negative influence on the decision-making process.
Advantages of the System
Despite the drawbacks, there are also advantages to the parliamentary constitutional monarchy system. For starters, since the head of state is a ceremonial role, the emperor has become a symbol of unity for the nation. This particularly helps in times of crisis, as the emperor can unite the country while using his constitutionally derived authority to resolve any issues.
In addition, with the Diet having the ability to impeach the prime minister, the government is kept in check and able to be held accountable. This also helps to spread the power, as the various political parties have to negotiate and cooperate in order to pass any bill.
Japan is a unique nation in many ways – including its form of government. As discussed, Japan is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, rather than a republic. This means that the power is still held by the head of state (Emperor Akihito), though much of it is delegated to the elected members of the Diet. While this dual power structure does have some drawbacks, namely difficulty in passing policies, it also has its advantages as the emperor is symbolic of unification as well as holding the government accountable.
