CHAPTER V. THE CABINET
第五章 内閣
第六十五条
Executive power shall be vested in the Cabinet.
行政権は、内閣に属する。
第六十六条
The Cabinet shall consist of the Prime Minister, who shall be its head, and other Ministers of State, as provided for by law.
内閣は、法律の定めるところにより、その首長たる内閣総理大臣及びその他の国務大臣でこれを組織する。
The Prime Minister and other Ministers of State must be civilians.
内閣総理大臣その他の国務大臣は、文民でなければならない。
The Cabinet, in the exercise of executive power, shall be collectively responsible to the Diet.
内閣は、行政権の行使について、国会に対し連帯して責任を負ふ。
第六十七条
The Prime Minister shall be designated from among the members of the Diet by a resolution of the Diet. This designation shall precede all other business.
内閣総理大臣は、国会議員の中から国会の議決で、これを指名する。この指名は、他のすべての案件に先だつて、これを行ふ。
If the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors disagree and if no agreement can be reached even through a joint committee of both Houses, provided for by law, or the House of Councillors fails to make designation within ten (10) days, exclusive of the period of recess, after the House of Representatives has made designation, the decision of the House of Representatives shall be the decision of the Diet.
衆議院と参議院とが異なつた指名の議決をした場合に、法律の定めるところにより、両議院の協議会を開いても意見が一致しないとき、又は衆議院が指名の議決をした後、国会休会中の期間を除いて十日以内に、参議院が、指名の議決をしないときは、衆議院の議決を国会の議決とする。
第六十八条
The Prime Minister shall appoint the Ministers of State. However, a majority of their number must be chosen from among the members of the Diet.
内閣総理大臣は、国務大臣を任命する。但し、その過半数は、国会議員の中から選ばれなければならない。
The Prime Minister may remove the Ministers of State as he chooses.
内閣総理大臣は、任意に国務大臣を罷免することができる。
第六十九条
If the House of Representatives passes a non-confidence resolution, or rejects a confidence resolution, the Cabinet shall resign en masse, unless the House of Representatives is dissolved within ten (10) days.
内閣は、衆議院で不信任の決議案を可決し、又は信任の決議案を否決したときは、十日以内に衆議院が解散されない限り、総辞職をしなければならない。
第七十条
When there is a vacancy in the post of Prime Minister, or upon the first convocation of the Diet after a general election of members of the House of Representatives, the Cabinet shall resign en masse.
内閣総理大臣が欠けたとき、又は衆議院議員総選挙の後に初めて国会の召集があつたときは、内閣は、総辞職をしなければならない。
第七十一条
In the cases mentioned in the two preceding articles, the Cabinet shall continue its functions until the time when a new Prime Minister is appointed.
前二条の場合には、内閣は、あらたに内閣総理大臣が任命されるまで引き続きその職務を行ふ。
第七十二条
The Prime Minister, representing the Cabinet, submits bills, reports on general national affairs and foreign relations to the Diet and exercises control and supervision over various administrative branches.
内閣総理大臣は、内閣を代表して議案を国会に提出し、一般国務及び外交関係について国会に報告し、並びに行政各部を指揮監督する。
第七十三条
The Cabinet, in addition to other general administrative functions, shall perform the following functions:
内閣は、他の一般行政事務の外、左の事務を行ふ。
Administer the law faithfully; conduct affairs of state.
法律を誠実に執行し、国務を総理すること。
Manage foreign affairs.
外交関係を処理すること。
Conclude treaties. However, it shall obtain prior or, depending on circumstances, subsequent approval of the Diet.
条約を締結すること。但し、事前に、時宜によつては事後に、国会の承認を経ることを必要とする。
Administer the civil service, in accordance with standards established by law.
法律の定める基準に従ひ、官吏に関する事務を掌理すること。
Prepare the budget, and present it to the Diet.
予算を作成して国会に提出すること。
Enact cabinet orders in order to execute the provisions of this Constitution and of the law. However, it cannot include penal provisions in such cabinet orders unless authorized by such law.
この憲法及び法律の規定を実施するために、政令を制定すること。但し、政令には、特にその法律の委任がある場合を除いては、罰則を設けることができない。
Decide on general amnesty, special amnesty, commutation of punishment, reprieve, and restoration of rights.
大赦、特赦、減刑、刑の執行の免除及び復権を決定すること。
第七十四条
All laws and cabinet orders shall be signed by the competent Minister of State and countersigned by the Prime Minister.
法律及び政令には、すべて主任の国務大臣が署名し、内閣総理大臣が連署することを必要とする。
第七十五条
The Ministers of State, during their tenure of office, shall not be subject to legal action without the consent of the Prime Minister. However, the right to take that action is not impaired hereby.
国務大臣は、その在任中、内閣総理大臣の同意がなければ、訴追されない。但し、これがため、訴追の権利は、害されない。
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.
the Diet
国会
Japan's parliament, and under Article 41 the only body that can make an Act (法律). It has two chambers, the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, both made up of elected members (Articles 42 and 43). It designates the Prime Minister, approves the budget and treaties, and can start the process of amending the Constitution. A Cabinet Order (政令) or Ministerial Order (省令) may impose a duty or a penalty only where an Act the Diet passed says it may.
Written by AI using Constitution, Arts. 41, 42, 43 and Wikipedia: National Diet 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.