Cabinet of Japan

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The Cabinet (内閣, Naikaku) is the executive branch of the government of Japan. It consists of the Prime Minister and up to fourteen other members, called Ministers of State. The Prime Minister is designated by the Diet, and the remaining ministers are appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister. The Cabinet is collectively responsible to the Diet and must resign if a motion of no confidence is adopted by the House of Representatives.

The modern Japanese Cabinet was established by the Constitution of Japan which came into effect in 1947. A cabinet also existed under the Meiji constitution of 1889-1946. This previous cabinet was subordinate to the Emperor.

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[edit] Appointment

Under the constitution, Ministers of State are appointed after the selection of the Prime Minister. A majority of the Cabinet, including the Prime Minister, must be members of the Diet (but may be members of either house), and all members must be civilians. Under the 2001 Cabinet Law, the number of Ministers of State (excluding the Prime Minister) must be fourteen or less, but this may be increased to seventeen if a special need arises. In the event that the Cabinet collectively resigns it continues to exercise its functions until the appointment of a new Prime Minister. While in office, legal action may not be taken against Ministers of State without the consent of the Prime Minister. The Cabinet must resign en masse in the following circumstances:

  • When a motion of no confidence is adopted, or a vote of confidence defeated, by the House of Representatives, unless there is a dissolution of the house within ten days.
  • Upon the first convocation of the Diet after a general election to the House of Representatives (even if every minister will then be reappointed).
  • When the position Prime Minister becomes vacant, or the Prime Minister declares his intention to resign.

[edit] Powers

The Cabinet exercises two kinds of power. Some of its powers, while in practice exercised in accordance with the binding instructions of the Cabinet, are nominally exercised by the Emperor with the "advice and approval" of the Cabinet. Its other class of powers are exercised by the Cabinet explicitly. Contrary to the practice in many constitutional monarchies, the Emperor of Japan is not the nominal chief executive of the state. Instead the constitution explicitly vests executive authority in the Cabinet.

[edit] Powers exercised via the Emperor

  • Convocation of the Diet.
  • Dissolution of the House of Representatives.
  • Proclamation of general elections to the Diet
  • Conferring of honours.

[edit] Explicit powers

  • Execution of the law.
  • Conduct of foreign affairs.
  • Conclusion of treaties (with the consent of the Diet).
  • Administration of the civil service.
  • Drafting of the budget (which must be adopted by the Diet).
  • Adoption of cabinet orders.
  • Granting of general amnesty, special amnesty, commutation of punishment, reprieve, and restoration of rights.
  • Every law or cabinet order is signed by the relevant Minister of State and countersigned by the Prime Minister.

[edit] The Cabinet (2006 to present)

A paulownia flower pattern is considered to be a symbol of the Japanese prime minister and cabinet routinely.
A paulownia flower pattern is considered to be a symbol of the Japanese prime minister and cabinet routinely.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formed his first cabinet on September 26, 2006. It consists of the following members:

  • Yoshihide Suga
    • Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務大臣)
    • Minister of State for Privatization of the Postal Services (国務大臣 - 郵政民営化担当)
    • Minister of State for Decentralization Reform (内閣府特命担当大臣 - 地方分権改革担当)
  • Jinen Nagase
  • Taro Aso
  • Koji Omi
  • Bunmei Ibuki
  • Hakuo Yanagisawa
  • Toshikatsu Matsuoka
  • Akira Amari
  • Tetsuzo Fuyushiba
  • Masatoshi Wakabayashi
    • Minister of the Environment (環境大臣)
    • Minister of State for Global Environmental Problems (国務大臣 - 地球環境問題担当)
  • Fumio Kyuma
    • Minister of Defense (防衛大臣)
  • Yasuhisa Shiozaki
    • Minister of State,Chief Cabinet Secretary (国務大臣 - 内閣官房長官)
    • Minister of State for the Abduction Issue (国務大臣 - 拉致問題担当)
  • Kensei Mizote
    • Minister of State,Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission (国務大臣 - 国家公安委員会委員長)
    • Minister of State for Disaster Management (内閣府特命担当大臣 - 防災)
  • Sanae Takaichi
    • Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs (内閣府特命担当大臣 - 沖縄及び北方対策)
    • Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy (内閣府特命担当大臣 - 科学技術政策)
    • Minister of State for Innovation (内閣府特命担当大臣 - イノベーション)
    • Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Gender Equality (内閣府特命担当大臣 - 少子化・男女共同参画)
    • Minister of State for Food Safety (内閣府特命担当大臣 - 食品安全)
  • Yuji Yamamoto
    • Minister of State for Financial Services (内閣府特命担当大臣 - 金融)
    • Minister of State for the "Re-Challenge" (国務大臣 - 再チャレンジ担当)
  • Hiroko Ota
    • Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy (内閣府特命担当大臣 - 経済財政政策)
  • Yoshimi Watanabe
    • Minister of State for Regulatory Reform (内閣府特命担当大臣 - 規制改革)
    • Minister of State for National and Regional Administrative Reform (国務大臣 - 国・地方行政改革担当)
    • Minister of State for Civil Service Reform (国務大臣 - 公務員制度改革担当)
    • Minister of State for Regional Revitalization (国務大臣 - 地域活性化担当)
    • Minister of State for the Regional System (国務大臣 - 道州制担当)
  • Yuriko Koike
    • Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security Issues (内閣総理大臣補佐官 - 国家安全保障問題担当)
  • Takumi Nemoto
    • Advisor to the Prime Minister on Economic and Fiscal Policy (内閣総理大臣補佐官 - 経済財政担当)
  • Kyoko Nakayama
    • Advisor to the Prime Minister on the Abduction Issue (内閣総理大臣補佐官 - 拉致問題担当)
  • Eriko Yamatani
    • Advisor to the Prime Minister on Educational Revitalization (内閣総理大臣補佐官 - 教育再生担当)
  • Hiroshige Seko
    • Advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Relations (内閣総理大臣補佐官 - 広報担当)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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