, Okinawa, Osaka,
Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori,
Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
Independence:
660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
Constitution:
3 May 1947
Legal system:
modled after European civil law system with English-American influence;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933)
Political parties and leaders:
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Kiichi MIYAZAWA, president; Seiroku
KAJIYAMA, secretary general; Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDPJ), Sadao
YAMAHANA, Chairman; Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), Keizo OUCHI, chairman;
Japan Communist Party (JCP), Tetsuzo FUWA, Presidium chairman; Komeito
(Clean Government Party, CGP), Koshiro ISHIDA, chairman; Japan New Party
(JNP), Morihiro HOSOKAWA, chairman
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Elections:
House of Councillors:
last held on 26 July 1992 (next to be held NA July 1995); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (252 total) LDP 106, SDPJ 73, CGP 24, DSP 12,
JCP 11, JNP 4, other 22
House of Representatives:
last held on 18 February 1990 (next to be held by NA February 1994); results
- percent of vote by party NA; seats - (512 total) LDP 274, SDPJ 137, CGP
46, JCP 16, DSP 13, others 5, independents 6, vacant 15
Executive branch:
Emperor, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
bicameral Diet (Kokkai) consists of an upper house or House of Councillors
(Sangi-in) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Shugi-in)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Kiichi MIYAZAWA (since 5 November 1991)

*Japan, Government

Member of:
AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, COCOM, CP, CSCE
(observer), EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-2, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UNRWA,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Takakazu KURIYAMA
chancery:
2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
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