Kokkai

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Kokkai
logo Parliament building
logo Parliament building
Basic data
Seat: Kokkai gijidō, Nagatachō , Chiyoda-ku , Tōkyō-to
MPs: 707 [465 in Shūgiin and 242 in Sangiin ]
Current legislative period
Chair: President (gichō) of the Shūgiin Ōshima Tadamori (non-attached, LDP)

President (gichō) of the Sangiin Date Chūichi (non-attached, LDP)
Website
House of Councilors - Official Website (English)
House of Representatives - Official Website (English)
Plenary Chamber of the House of Lords
Plenary Chamber of the House of Commons

Kokkai ( Japanese 国会 'Parliament', 'National Assembly', English National Diet , ' National Day ') is the Japanese parliament consisting of two chambers . The National Parliament Building ( 国会 議事堂Kokkai-gijidō ) is in Nagatachō , Chiyoda , Tokyo. According to the constitution of 1947, parliament is the “highest body of state power” and, unlike its predecessor, the Reichstag ( teikoku gikai ; English Imperial Diet ), the sole legislature. Colloquially, Kokkai often refers to the parliament in continuity since 1890.

Composition and tasks

The parliament consists of two elected houses:

  • The Shūgiin (House of Representatives or Representatives) is the lower house and has 465 members, elected for a term of office of four years, which has so far been rare.
  • The Sangiin (council house) is the upper house and has 242 members whose term of office runs for six years. Half of the MPs are re-elected every three years.

The Prime Minister must be a member of the Kokkai and is often the leader of the largest party in the Shūgiin. However, some prime ministers were elected at the head of minority governments or from small partners in a government coalition. Most of the other members of the cabinet are also required by the constitution to be MPs. The Prime Minister has the right to dissolve the Shūgiin and to organize early elections. With one exception ( 1976 ) , the prime ministers of the post-war period always made use of this right; four times, votes of no confidence led to early elections. The sangiin cannot be dissolved.

In the legislative process, the principle applies that both chambers must approve a bill, but the Shūgiin can overrule the Sangiin on some important issues.

Relations between the two chambers

If the two chambers take different resolutions on a draft law, the election of the prime minister , the ratification of an international treaty, the budget or a proposed constitutional amendment, a mediation committee with equal representation ( 両 院 協議 会 , ryōin kyōgikai ) can (or depending on the subject matter: must ) convened who can try to work out a compromise.

In contrast to the two chambers of the Reichstag, which have largely equal rights, the Shūgiin has a predominance of important issues under the post-war constitution and can outvote the Sangiin: in the election of the Prime Minister , the ratification of international treaties and the budget automatically with a simple majority, in other legislation (including important budget-related laws), if necessary through a renewed vote with a two-thirds majority . Government personnel nominations dependent on parliamentary approval (e.g. central bank governor , members of the Public Security Commission ) and constitutional amendments (in the case of acceptance by two-thirds majorities in both chambers, referendum according to Article 96 of the Constitution) must in any case require the approval of both chambers.

During the LDP dominance from the 1950s to 1980s, the ruling party usually controlled both chambers - albeit numerically at times only with the help of non-party MPs and, from 1983, for the first time a coalition partner. The government had a clear opposition majority in the upper house for the first time after the Sangiin election in 1989 . The situation in which the two chambers are controlled by different majorities is known as nejire Kokkai ("twisted parliament"). This has happened repeatedly since then, most recently between 2010 and 2013.

Session periods

The annual regular session of the Kokkai ( 常 会 , jōkai , often 通常 国会 , tsūjō kokkai , "regular parliament") began in January in the 1990s and is a regular 150 days, but can be extended once. During the summer break and autumn, the cabinet or a quarter of the MPs can convene extraordinary sessions ( 臨時 会 , rinjikai , often also rinji Kokkai , "extraordinary parliament"), the length of which is decided between the two chambers and which can be extended twice. Extraordinary meetings are also held after Sangiin elections or after Shūgiin elections after a full four-year term (previously only in 1976). After the Shūgiin is dissolved and new elections are held, a special session ( 特別 会 , tokubetsukai , often tokubetsu Kokkai , “special parliament”) meets , at the beginning of which the Shūgiin’s president and vice-president and prime minister are usually elected. This can also be extended twice. Once the Shūgiin is dissolved, the Kokkai cannot be convened; In urgent cases, the cabinet can convene an emergency meeting ( 緊急 集会 , kinkyū shūkai ) of the Sangiin in order to take important decisions. This has happened twice so far: in 1952 to appoint members of the Central Election Commission and in 1953 to pass a provisional budget and some bills. Resolutions made by such an emergency session of the Sangiin must be confirmed by the Shūgiin as soon as the entire parliament meets again, otherwise they will be ineffective.

List (21st Century Only)

Legend of session type:

  • R: regular session
  • S: special session
  • A: extraordinary session
Sessions in the 21st Century
Kokkai Art opening Enough Length in days
(originally scheduled + extension [s]) 		Special features, comments
151 R. Jan. 31, 2001 June 29, 2001 150 Resignation of the cabinet, election of prime ministers
152. A. 0Aug 7, 2001 Aug 10, 2001 4th after 19th Sangiin election
153. A. 27 Sep 2001 0Dec 7, 2001 72
154. R. Jan. 21, 2002 July 31, 2002 192 (150 + 42)
155. A. Oct 18, 2002 Dec 13, 2002 57
156. R. Jan. 20, 2003 July 28, 2003 190 (150 + 40)
157. A. 26 Sep 2003 Oct 10, 2003 15 (36) ended by dissolution of the Shūgiin
158. S. Nov 19, 2003 Nov 27, 2003 9 after 43rd Shūgiin election (implies PM election)
159. R. Jan. 19, 2004 June 16, 2004 150
160. A. July 30, 2004 0Aug 6, 2004 8th after 20th Sangiin election
161. A. Oct 12, 2004 0Dec 3, 2004 53
162. R. Jan. 21, 2005 0Aug 8, 2005 200 (150 + 55) so-called 郵政 国会 yūsei Kokkai , “post parliament” with LDP rebellion against post-privatization, ended by Shūgiin dissolution
163. S. 21 Sep 2005 0Nov 1, 2005 42 after 44th Shūgiin election (→ PM election)
164. R. Jan. 20, 2006 June 18, 2006 150
165. A. 26 Sep 2006 Dec 19, 2006 85 (81 + 4) Resignation of the Cabinet, PM election
166. R. Jan. 25, 2007 0July 5, 2007 162 (150 + 12)
167. A. 0Aug 7, 2007 Aug 10, 2007 4th after the 21st Sangiin election , as a result Nejire Kokkai ("twisted parliament" = different majorities in the chambers)
168. A. Sep 10 2007 Jan 15, 2008 128 (62 + 66) Resignation of the Cabinet, PM election
169. R. Jan. 18, 2008 June 21, 2008 156 (150 + 6)
170. A. Sep 24 2008 Dec 25, 2008 93 (68 + 25) Resignation of the Cabinet, PM election
171. R. 0Jan. 5, 2009 July 21, 2009 198 (150 + 55) ended by dissolution of the Shūgiin
172. S. 16 Sep 2009 19 Sep 2009 4th after 45th Shūgiin election (→ PM election)
173. A. Oct 26, 2009 0Dec. 4, 2009 40 (36 + 4)
174. R. Jan. 18, 2010 June 16, 2010 150 DPJ parliamentary groups achieve one-time absolute majorities in both chambers, resignation of the cabinet, PM election
175. A. July 30, 2010 0Aug 6, 2010 8th after 22nd Sangiin election → nejire
176. A. 0Oct 1, 2010 0Dec 3, 2010 64
177. R. Jan. 24, 2011 31 Aug 2011 220 (150 + 70) Resignation of the Cabinet, PM election
178. A. 13 Sep 2011 Sep 30 2011 18 (4 + 14)
179. A. Oct 20, 2011 0Dec 9, 2011 51
180. R. Jan. 24, 2012 08 Sep 2012 229 (150 + 79)
181. A. Oct 29, 2012 Nov 16, 2012 19 (33) ended by dissolution of the Shūgiin
182 S. Dec 26, 2012 Dec 28, 2012 3 after 46th Shūgiin election (→ PM election), nejire
183. R. Jan. 28, 2013 June 26, 2013 150
184. A. 0Aug 2, 2013 07 Aug 2013 6th after 23rd Sangiin election
185 A. Oct 15, 2013 0Dec 8, 2013 55 (53 + 2)
186. R. Jan. 24, 2014 June 22, 2014 150
187. A. 29 Sep 2014 Nov 21, 2014 54 (63) ended by dissolution of the Shūgiin
188. S. Dec 24, 2014 Dec 26, 2014 3 after 47th Shūgiin election (→ PM election)
189 R. Jan. 26, 2015 27 Sep 2015 245 (150 + 95)
190. R. 0Jan. 4, 2016 0June 1, 2016 150 The usual extraordinary meeting in autumn 2015 was canceled
191. A. 0Aug 1, 2016 0Aug 3, 2016 3 after the 24th Sangiin election , then by joining for the first time since 1989 absolute LDP majorities in both chambers
192. A. 26 Sep 2016 17th Dec 2016 83 (66 + 17)
193. R. Jan. 20, 2017 18th June 2017 150
194. A. 28 Sep 2017 28 Sep 2017 1 convened only for the dissolution of the Shūgiin
195. S. 0Nov 1, 2017 0Dec 9, 2017 39 after 48th Shūgiin election (→ PM election)
196. R. Jan. 22, 2018 July 22, 2018 182 (150 + 32)
197 A. Oct. 24, 2018 10 Dec 2018 48
198. R. Jan. 28, 2019 June 26, 2019 150
199 A. 0Aug 1, 2019 05th Aug 2019 5 after 25th Sangiin election
200. A. 04th Oct 2019 09 Dec 2019 67
201. R. Jan. 20, 2020 17th June 2020 150

Current majority ratios

The governing coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Kōmeitō defended their two-thirds majority in the Shūgiin in the October 2017 election , while in the Sangiin they held their majority in the July 2019 election with losses.

Current majority ratios
(as of July 30, 2019, before 199th Kokkai)
Shūgiin Sangiin
150
315
150 315 
A total of 465 seats
  • Opposition groups, non-attached groups (without President): 150
  • Government factions, President: 315


103
142
103 142 
A total of 245 seats
  • Opposition groups, non-attached: 103
  • Government factions: 142


For a detailed list, see the two individual articles for the chambers.

history

First temporary wooden parliament building

The term Kokkai was already used in the 19th century before the establishment of the Reichstag in the demands of the civil rights movement for an elected parliament and is often used for the Reichstag outside of official contexts. With the Meiji Constitution , the Reichstag was set up on the models of the Prussian Landtag and the British Parliament and met for the first time on November 29, 1890. Together with the emperor, he formed the legislature and, in addition to the Shūgiin, consisted of the Kizokuin , the manor house. The chambers had largely equal rights, only the government's draft budget always had to be submitted to the House of Representatives for discussion first. With the entry into force of the post-war constitution in 1947, the Kizokuin was replaced by the elected Sangiin, and the Kokkai in its current form took the place of the Reichstag.

The current parliament building, opened in 1936 as the Reichstag building, is - in contrast to the three provisional predecessor buildings made of wood - made of reinforced concrete.

See also

literature

Web links

Commons : Kokkai  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Sangiin: Relations between the two chambers (Japanese)
  2. ↑ Laws and regulations that govern the relationship between the two chambers: Japanese Constitution , Kokkai-hō ( English translation ), Ryōin-kyōgikai kitei , Sangiin kisoku ( English translation ), Shūgiin kisoku
  3. ↑ Shūgiin: 国会 の 召集 と 会 期
  4. ↑ Sangiin: 参議院 の 緊急 集会
  5. ↑ Shūgiin: 国会 会 期 一 覧 , accessed on January 24, 2020.