utive branch:
chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) is a
constitutional monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Ryutaro HASHIMOTO (since 11
January 1996) and Deputy Prime Minister Wataru KUBO (since 11
January 1996) were designated by the Diet and appointed by the
emperor
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Diet (Kokkai)
House of Councillors (Sangi-in): half of the members elected every
three years to six-year terms; elections last held 23 July 1995
(next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (252 total, with 126 up for election) LDP 110 (49 newly
won), Shinshinto 56 (40 newly won), SDP 38 (16 newly won), JCP 14 (8
newly won), Sakigate 3 (3 newly won), others 19 (4 newly won),
independents 12 (6 newly won); note - the distribution of seats as
of 1 March 1996 is as follows - LDP 111, Heisei-kai 69, SDP 35, JCP
14, Sakigake 3, others and independents 19, vacancies 1
House of Representatives (Shugi-in): all members elected every four
years to four-year terms; elections last held 18 July 1993 (next to
be held by July 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats
- (511 total) LDP 223, SDP 70, Shinseito 55, Komeito 51, JNP 35, JCP
15, DSP 15, Sakigake 13, others 4, independents 30; note - the
distribution of seats as of 1 March 1996 is as follows - LDP 207,
Shinshinto 170, SDP 63, Sakigake 22, JCP 15, others and independents
19, vacant 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the
emperor after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are
appointed by the cabinet

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),
Ryutaro HASHIMOTO, president and Koichi KATO, secretary general;
Social Democratic Party (SDP), Tomiichi MURAYAMA, president and
Kanju SATO, secretary general; Sakigake (Harbinger), Masayoshi
TAKEMURA, chairman and Yukio HATOYAMA, secretary general; Shinshinto
(New Frontier Party, NFP), Ichiro OZAWA, chairman and Takashi
YONEZAWA, secretary general; Japan Communist Party (JCP), Tetsuzo
FUWA, presidium chairman
note: Shinshinto was formed in December 1994 by the merger of
Shinseito (Japan Renewal Party, JRP), Komeito (Clean Government
Party, CGP), Japan New Party (JNP), Democratic Socialist Party
(DSP), and several minor groups; Heisei-kai is a joint bloc of
Shinshinto and Komei members; Kom