When the persons prescribed in the following items make an assertion as prescribed in the preceding Article, the court may not examine said person as a witness without the consent of the House with regard to the person prescribed in item (i), or the consent of the Cabinet with regard to the person prescribed in item (ii):
a Member or ex-Member of the House of Representatives or the House of Councillors;
衆議院若しくは参議院の議員又はその職に在つた者
the Prime Minister, other Ministers of State or ex-Ministers of State.
内閣総理大臣その他の国務大臣又はその職に在つた者
In the cases prescribed in the preceding paragraph, the House of Representatives, the House of Councillors and the Cabinet may not refuse to give consent except where such examination may harm important national interests.
前項の場合において、衆議院、参議院又は内閣は、国の重大な利益を害する場合を除いては、承諾を拒むことができない。
Read this with the articles around it
the Cabinet
内閣
The body that holds executive power: the Prime Minister and the other Ministers of State (Articles 65 and 66). It administers the law, conducts foreign affairs, prepares the budget and issues Cabinet Orders (政令); Article 73 is the list. It answers to the Diet as a body (Article 66, paragraph (3)), and must resign if the House of Representatives passes a vote of no confidence and is not dissolved within ten days (Article 69).
Written by AI using Constitution, Arts. 65, 66, 69, 73 and Wikipedia: Cabinet of Japan as a reference.
House of Councillors
参議院
The upper of the Diet's two chambers (Article 42). Its members serve six years, half of them elected every three years, and it is never dissolved (Article 46) — so it always has sitting members, where the House of Representatives can have none. That is not the same as always being open: when the House of Representatives is dissolved the House of Councillors is closed at the same time, and during that closure it sits only if the Cabinet calls it into emergency session because the country needs one (Article 54, paragraph (2)).
Written by AI using Constitution, Arts. 42, 46, 54 and Wikipedia: House of Councillors (Japan) as a reference.
House of Representatives
衆議院
The lower of the Diet's two chambers (Article 42). Its members serve four years, and the term ends early whenever the House is dissolved (Article 45) — which is the difference that matters: the House of Councillors cannot be dissolved. Where the two chambers disagree, the House of Representatives can prevail, on an Act by passing it again with two thirds of the members present (Article 59, paragraph (2)), and on the budget, treaties and the choice of Prime Minister by its decision simply becoming the Diet's.
Written by AI using Constitution, Arts. 42, 45, 59, 60, 61, 67 and Wikipedia: House of Representatives (Japan) as a reference.
Minister of State
国務大臣
A member of the Cabinet other than the Prime Minister (Article 66, paragraph (1)). All of them must be civilians, and a majority must be members of the Diet; the Prime Minister appoints them and may dismiss them at will (Article 66, paragraph (2), and Article 68). Most head a ministry, which is why a Ministerial Order (省令) — a Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Order (厚生労働省令), for instance — is issued in a Minister's name. Ministers of State are among the people the Constitution binds to respect and uphold it (Article 99).
Written by AI using Constitution, Arts. 66, 68, 75, 99 and 国家行政組織法, Art. 5 as a reference.
Prime Minister
内閣総理大臣
The head of the Cabinet. Designated by the Diet from among its own members, and appointed by the Emperor on that designation (Articles 67 and 6). The Prime Minister appoints and may dismiss the other Ministers of State at will, and a majority of them must be members of the Diet (Article 68). No Minister of State can be subjected to legal action while in office without the Prime Minister's consent (Article 75).
Written by AI using Constitution, Arts. 6, 67, 68, 75 and Wikipedia: Prime Minister of Japan as a reference.