Useful resource on Japan's governmental system:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2136.html
http://web-japan.org/links/government/
21. Political Heritage
| Note on the word "diet":
From medieval times until today, parliamentary bodies in Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, the Scandinavian nations, and Germany have been called "diets." In German history, the diet originated as a meeting of landholders and burghers, convoked by the ruler to discuss financial problems. The Meiji constitution was largely based on the form of constitutional monarchy found in nineteenth century Prussia and the new Diet was modelled partly on the German Reichstag and partly on the British Westminster system. Along with the institution, the word "diet" came to Japan in the 1890 Meiji constitution. The word "diet" derives from Latin and was a common name for an assembly in Medieval Germany. The term is derived from Medieval Latin dietas, and ultimately comes from the Latin dies, "day." The word came to be used in this sense because these assemblies met on a daily basis. |
1. Democratic transformation (1890-1947)
Diet has full power, "highest organ of state power", selects PM