a, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi,
Yamanashi

Independence: 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

National holiday: Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Constitution: 3 May 1947

Legal system: modeled after European civil law system with
English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January
1989) note: following the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshiro MORI,
Junichiro KOIZUMI was elected as the new president of the majority Liberal
Democratic Party, and soon thereafter designated by the Diet to become
the next prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
the Diet designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that
the prime minister must command a parliamentary majority, therefore,
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually
becomes prime minister cabinet: Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 24 April 2001)

Legislative branch: bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House
of Councillors or Sangi-in (247 seats - formerly 252; one-half of the
members elected every three years - 73 seats of which are elected from
the 47 multi-seat prefectural districts and 48 of which are elected from a
single nationwide list; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year
terms) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - 180 of
which are elected from 11 regional blocks on a proportional representation
basis and 300 of which are elected from 300 single-seat districts; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: House
of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 110,
DPJ 59, Komeito 23, JCP 20, SDP 8, Liberal Party 8, Conservative Party 5,
independents 14; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is:
6, others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - LDP 233, DPJ 127, Komeito 31, Liberal Party 22, JCP 20,
SDP 19, other 28; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002
is: other 13 elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2001
(next to be held NA July 2004); House of Representatives - last held 25
June 2000 (next must be held by June 2004, but may occur sooner)

Judic