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We, the Japanese people, acting through our duly elected representatives in the Imperial government, determined that we shall secure for ourselves and our posterity the fruits of tranquil safety and the blessings of liberty throughout this land, do proclaim that sovereign power resides with the people and do firmly establish this Constitution. Government is a sacred trust of the people, the authority for which is derived from the people, the powers of which are exercised by the representatives of the people, and the benefits of which are enjoyed by the people. This is a universal principle of mankind upon which this Constitution is founded. We reject and revoke all constitutions, laws, ordinances, and rescripts in conflict herewith.
We, the Japanese people, desire peace for all time and are deeply conscious of the high ideals controlling human relationships; however, we have determined to preserve our security and existence, entrusting our Imperial Japanese Military, with the support of the United States Military, to ensure safety, tranquility, and domestic peace, by any means necessary, including war, should the need be dire. We will always remember the tragedies of the Second World War, and we wish to never experience the same grief and destruction as that great war had caused.
We, the Japanese people, desire to occupy an honored place in an international society striving for the preservation of peace, and the banishment of tyranny and slavery, oppression and intolerance for all time from this here earth. We recognize that all peoples of the world have the right to live in peace, free from fear and chaos.
We, the Japanese people, believe that no nation is responsible to itself alone, but that laws of political morality are universal, and that obedience to such laws is incumbent upon all nations who would sustain their own sovereignty and justify their sovereign relationship with other nations.
We, the Japanese people, pledge our national honor to accomplish these high ideals and purposes with all our resources, until not a single man nor woman lives in chaos.
CHAPTER I: THE EMPEROR
Article 1. Understanding that the Emperor is the symbol of unity to the people, the Emperor shall remain on the throne with a certain portion of political power. The word of the Emperor shall overrule all but the Goddess of Fire and the Prime Minister, except in conditions provided by this Constitution.
Article 2. Periodically, in matters outside of mortal control, tragically unfortunate incidents may leave the Emperor deceased; to prevent governmental destabilisation, the Emperor’s successor shall be his immediate next of kin, either the Prince or Princess, to assume control of the Imperial Throne. Should the Emperor be only incapacitated, the successor will assume imperial duties until the Emperor recovers.
Article 3. The Emperor may pass Imperial Orders, hereby stated as a legislative act ordered by the Emperor. Imperial Orders shall be immediately implemented for a space of one calendar month. After one calendar month, the Imperial Court must decide the constitutionality of aforementioned order to determine if it shall stay in effect.
Article 4. The Emperor may not be detained.
Article 5. The Emperor, with the advice and support of the Council, shall perform the following acts in matters of state on behalf of the people: Promulgation of amendments of the constitution, laws, cabinet orders, and treaties; Convocation of the Council; Dissolution of the National Council; Proclamation of general election of members of the Council; Appointment of ambassadors; Attestation of instruments of ratification and other diplomatic documents as provided for by law; Receiving foreign ambassadors and officials; and Performance of ceremonial functions.
CHAPTER II: ALLOWANCE OF WAR
Article 1. Aspiring sincerely to a state of international peace and order, but recognizing the necessity of war to defend honour and lives, the Japanese people hereby allow war to uphold honour and to ensure the safety of the public. In order to accomplish this aim, land, sea, and air forces shall only be maintained for said reasons and to provide defense in the act of war being declared on our own nation.
CHAPTER III: RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE PEOPLE
Article 1. This Constitution shall not declare the conditions necessary for naturalisation of foreign individuals; said constituents will be provided by law.
Article 2. The people shall not be prevented from enjoying any of the fundamental human rights. These fundamental human rights shall be conferred upon the people of this and future generations as eternal and inviolate rights.
Article 3. All of the people shall be respected as individuals. Their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness shall, to the extent that it does not interfere with the public welfare or government, be the supreme consideration in legislation and in other governmental affairs.
Article 4. All of the people are equal under the law and there shall be no discrimination in political, economic or social relations because of race, creed, gender, social status, or family origin. Peers and peerage shall not be recognised.
Article 5. The people have the inalienable right,to an certain extent, choose their public officials, and to dismiss them. All public officials are servants of the people and not of any group thereof. Universal suffrage is guaranteed with regard to the election of public officials. A voter shall not be answerable, publicly or privately, for the choice he or she has made.
Article 6. Every person shall have the right of peaceful petition or protest for the redress of damage, for the removal of public officials, for the enactment, repeal or amendment of laws, ordinances or regulations and for other matters; nor shall any person be in any way discriminated against for sponsoring such a petition.
Article 7. Every person may file lawsuits for redress as provided by law, a public entity, or an individual, in case he has suffered damage through illegal act of any kind.
Article 8. No person shall be held in bondage of any kind. Involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime, is prohibited.
Article 9. Freedom of thought and conscience shall not be violated.
Article 10. Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all. No religious organisation shall exercise any political authority; no person shall be compelled to take part in any religious act, celebration, rite or practice; however, the Empire reserves the right to fund and encourage citizens to worship Shinto.
Article 11. Freedom of assembly and association as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression are guaranteed. No censorship shall be maintained, nor shall the secrecy of any means of communication be violated unless in a time of war.
Article 12. Every person shall have freedom to choose and change their residence and occupation to the extent that it does not interfere with the public welfare. Freedom of all persons to move to a foreign country and to divest themselves of their nationality shall be inviolate.
Article 13. Academic freedom is guaranteed.
Article 14. Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both individuals, and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of both spouses, regardless of gender, as a basis. With regard to choice of spouse, property rights, inheritance, choice of domicile, divorce and other matters pertaining to marriage and the family, laws shall be enacted from the standpoint of individual dignity and essential equality of both spouses.
Article 15. All people shall have the right to receive an equal education correspondent to their ability, as provided by law. All people shall be obligated to have all boys and girls under their protection receive ordinary education as provided for by law. Such compulsory education shall be free.
Article 16. All people shall have the right and the obligation to work, unless physical impediments prevent such work to be performed. Standards for wages, hours, rest and other working conditions shall be fixed by law.
Article 17. The right of workers to organise and to bargain and act collectively is guaranteed to an extent.
Article 18. The right to own or to hold property is inviolable. Property rights shall be defined by law, in conformity with the public welfare. Private property may be taken for public use and the owner will be compensated in a time of war.
Article 19. The people shall be liable to taxation as provided by law.
Article 20. No person shall be denied the right of access to the courts.
Article 21. No person shall be apprehended except upon warrant issued by the Imperial Court which specifies the offense with which the person is charged.
Article 22. No person shall be arrested or detained without being at once informed of the charges against them or without the immediate privilege of counsel; nor shall they be detained without adequate cause; and upon demand of any person such cause must be immediately shown in open court in his presence and the presence of his counsel.
Article 23. The right of all persons to be secure in their homes, papers and effects against entries, searches and seizures shall not be impaired except upon warrant issued for adequate cause and particularly describing the place to be searched and belongings to be seized. Each search or seizure shall be made upon separate warrant issued by the Imperial Court.
Article 24. In all criminal cases the accused shall enjoy the right to a fast and public trial by an impartial tribunal, consisting of 11 citizens. they shall be permitted full opportunity to examine all witnesses, and they shall have the right of compulsory process for obtaining witnesses on their behalf at public expense. At all times the accused shall have the assistance of competent counsel who shall, if the accused is unable to secure the same by their own efforts, be assigned to their use by the Empire.
Article 25. No person shall be compelled to testify against theirself. No person shall be convicted or punished in cases where the only proof against him is their own confession.
Article 26. No person shall be held criminally liable for an act which was lawful at the time it was committed, or of which they has been acquitted.
Article 27. Any person, in case they is acquitted after they has been arrested or detained, may not sue for reparation.
CHAPTER IV: THE NATIONAL COUNCIL
Article 1. The National Council shall be the highest organ of legislative power in the Empire.
Article 2. The Emperor and Prime Minister may jointly dissolve the National Council, resulting in all affected Councillors being relieved of duties; before dissolution, the Prime Minister must record the names of all affected Councillors in case of reassembly. An election must follow within two weeks of dissolution or the dissolved Council shall be reassembled.
Article 3. The National Council shall consist of elected members, representative of all the people. The number of Councillors shall be fixed by law.
Article 4. The qualifications of members of the National Council shall be fixed by law.
Article 5. The term of office of members of the National Council shall be four months.
Article 6. No Councillor shall be permitted to hold a government job simultaneously.
Article 7. The Imperial Court reserves the right to intervene should the Court jointly decide that the National Council is acting with corruption. Should the Court decide that Council is corrupt, it shall be immediately dissolved, following the guidelines of dissolving the Council.
Article 8. An ordinary session of the Council shall be convoked twice per month, with dates being provided by law. The Ministers may determine to convoke extraordinary sessions of the Council. When a quarter or more of the total Councillors makes the demand for an extraordinary session, the Council must determine on such convocation.
Article 9. When the Prime Minister and Emperor agree to dissolve the National Council, they shall act as the joint legislative body.
Article 10. The Council shall judge disputes related to qualifications of its members. However, in order to deny a seat to any member, it is necessary to pass a resolution by a majority of two-thirds or more of the members present.
Article 11. Business cannot be transacted in the Council unless one-third or more of total membership is present. All matters shall be decided, by a majority of those present, except as elsewhere provided in the Constitution, and in case of a tie, the presiding officer shall decide the issue. Should a Councillor be misled for the purpose of preventing him from attending a session, the responsible party shall be expelled from the Council.
Article 12. Deliberation in each House shall be public. However, a secret meeting may be held where a majority of two-thirds or more of those members present passes a resolution therefor. The Council shall keep a record of proceedings; this record shall be published and given general circulation, exempting such parts of proceedings of secret session as may be deemed to require secrecy. Upon demand of one-fifth or more of the members present, votes of the members of any matter shall be recorded in the minutes.
Article 13. The council shall establish its rules pertaining to meetings, proceedings and internal discipline, and may punish members for disorderly conduct. However, in order to expel a member, a majority of two-thirds or more of those members present must pass a resolution thereon.
Article 14. A bill becomes a law on passage by the approval of both the Emperor and the Prime Minister, except as otherwise provided by the Constitution. A bill which is passed by the Council is rendered null and void if not approved.
Article 15. The Council may conduct investigations in relation to government, and may demand the presence and testimony of witnesses, and the production of records.
Article 16. The Prime Minister and Ministers of the Empire may, at any time, appear in the Council Chambers for the purpose of speaking on bills, regardless of whether they are members of the Council or not. However, they must appear when their presence is required in order to give answers or explanations.
Article 17. The Council shall set up an impeachment court from among the members of the Council for the purpose of trying those against whom removal proceedings have been instituted. Matters relating to impeachment shall be provided by law.
Article 18. The Emperor may pass Imperial Orders, as provided by Chapter One Article Three of this Constitution. The Council may, before the Order expires, vote on repealing it. Should two-thirds of the Council vote against the Order, it is rendered null and void. Should the Order expire, it becomes official.
Article 19. The Prime Minister, may, at any time, present a bill to the Council for voting. The Council is not required to vote, nor will any punishments be given should they not vote.
CHAPTER V: THE CABINET OF MINISTERS
Article 1. Executive power shall be vested in the Cabinet of Ministers.
Article 2. The Cabinet shall be headed by the Prime Minister and consist of other Ministers of State, as provided for by law and the Articles in this Chapter of the Constitution. The Cabinet, in the exercise of executive power, shall be collectively responsible to the Council.
Article 3. Ministers of State shall be the leaders of their respective Ministries, aside from two Ministers of the Empire who shall act as advisors to the Emperor and Prime Minister. Ministries shall be created either by this Constitution or further laws. Ministries may at any time be created, modified, combined, separated, or dissolved by the National Council.
Article 4. Ministers of the Empire shall be appointed by the Prime Minister and confirmed by the National Council and Emperor. Should the National Council deny the minister, they shall not receive a seat. The National Council may pass non-confidence resolutions to remove Ministers of the Empire; should a non-confidence resolution be passed, the Emperor must remove the affected minister immediately without veto. The affected minister may appeal to the Imperial Court in case they believe the removal was without reason.
Article 5. Ministers of the Empire have terms of three months, with a term limit of four. The National Council may create a bill to allow a specific Minister to stay permanently if they believe the affected Minister of the Empire is very capable, allowing the affected Minister of the Empire may mentor others for a better successor; after the training term is complete, the affected minister must resign.
Article 6. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare shall be responsible for ensuring public safety, preventing and controlling disease outbreaks, protecting the environment, creating jobs, creating and managing stock exchanges, and creating labour standards. This Ministry shall be led by the Minister of Health and Welfare as well as the Minister of Labour.
Article 7. The Ministry of Education, Culture, and Technology shall be mainly responsible for regulating and managing the public education system, enrich culture by various means, and improve technology. This Ministry shall be managed by the Minister of Technology and the Minister of Education and Culture.
Article 8. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, shall be mainly responsible for foreign policy, including international diplomacy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall conduct diplomacy under supervision of the National Council and the Prime Minister with advice of the Emperor. As a base requirement, Ministers of Foreign Affairs may not have significant power in foreign nations, unless the National Council collectively agrees to permit foreign power by a two-thirds vote.
Article 9. The Grand Marshal shall be mainly responsible for running the armed forces, ensuring the safety of the country, and working with the Minister of Technology to create improved military technology. The Grand Marshal may not have a significant criminal record and may not have power in foreign nations. The Grand Marshal is chosen by the current Deity.
Article 10. The Imperial Court, headed by the Chief Justice, shall be mainly responsible for running the judicial system and managing courts, ensuring that justices and attorneys are qualified, guarding and managing prisons, and writing and administering bar examinations.
Article 11. Ministers of the Empire may be tried for crimes but shall continue their roles until a guilty verdict or the Emperor allows arrest. Before a guilty trial verdict, the Emperor must consent to any detainment of Ministers of the Empire. Anyone to violate this shall be charged with violating this Article of the Constitution.
Article 12. All bills passed by the National Council shall be signed by the Minister of the Empire required and countersigned by the Emperor and Prime Minister.
CHAPTER VI: THE IMPERIAL COURT
Article 1. The whole judicial power is vested in Imperial Court and in such inferior courts as are established by law. No extraordinary tribunal shall be established, nor shall any organ or agency of the Executive be given final judicial power. All judges shall be independent in the exercise of their conscience and shall be bound only by this Constitution and the laws.
Article 2. The Imperial Court is vested with the rule-making power under which it determines the rules of procedure and of practice, and of matters relating to attorneys, the internal discipline of the courts and the administration of judicial affairs. Public procurators shall be subject to the rule-making power of the Imperial Court. The Imperial Court may delegate the power to make rules for inferior courts to such courts.
Article 3. Judges shall not be removed except by public impeachment unless judicially declared mentally or physically incompetent to perform official duties. No disciplinary action against judges shall be administered by any executive organ or agency.
Article 4. The Imperial Court shall consist of a High Judge and such number of judges as may be determined by law; all such judges shall be voted in by the Council after being appointed by the Prime Minister. The High Judge shall be chosen by the Cabinet from the current Imperial Court. The judges of the Imperial Court shall be retired upon a majority vote by the Council to remove them; otherwise a Imperial Court Justice has a life term with a new High Judge being chosen every nine months except when the High Judge leaves their position.
Article 5. Trials shall be conducted and judgment declared publicly. Where a court unanimously determines publicity to be dangerous to public order or morals, a trial may be conducted privately, but trials of political offenses, offenses involving the press or cases wherein the rights of people as guaranteed in Chapter three of this Constitution are in question shall always be conducted publicly.
Article 6. An individual or public entity may file a lawsuit against any individual, or organisation for any valid reason, after giving notice at least 24 hours notice to both the judge and defendant. A time must be decided between both parties; in case the defendant refuses to cooperate, a judge may give a court order requiring the defendant to attend.
Article 7. Should an individual be found guilty, they may appeal.
Article 8. The Emperor reserves the right to create an inferior court after being approved by the Imperial Court, and the Imperial Court may increase the maximum number of judges in an inferior court at any time.
CHAPTER VII: LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
Article 1. Regulations not stated below concerning organization and operations of local public entities, henceforth referred to as prefectures, shall be fixed by law in accordance with the principle of local autonomy.
Article 2. The prefectures shall establish their own councils, in accordance to law. The governor of each prefecture shall be elected by the National Council by a majority vote, or should the National Council feel this an unwise choice, a direct popular vote by the citizens of the prefecture. Their council shall be elected by direct popular vote by the citizens of the prefecture; other public officials shall be appointed by the governor and approved by the council.
Article 3. Prefectures shall have the right to manage their property, affairs, and administration and to enact their own regulations within law.
Article 4. A special law, applicable only to one prefecture, cannot be enacted by the Council without the consent of a majority of the prefecture's council.
Article 5. A governor's term shall last five months with no term limits.
Article 6. A prefecture shall not create its own Constitution.
Article 7. Land acquired by annexation shall not be a prefecture unless the National Council believes the land should become a prefecture.
CHAPTER VIII: ANNEXATION
Article 1. Regulations not stated below regarding organization and operations of annexation shall be fixed in law.
Article 2. Following a formal annexation treaty, any nation annexed shall become a commonwealth, except cases described by Chapter seven Article four of this Constitution. Commonwealths shall become part of the Japanese empire, and all citizens of the commonwealth shall be granted Japanese citizenship, enjoying every right of a natural-born Japanese citizen. All commonwealths must conform to this Constitution without exception.
Article 3. Commonwealths shall be composed of assemblies as their deliberative organs, in accordance to law. The executive branch shall be led by a governor-general, with a term lasting five months. Immediately after annexation, the National Council shall appoint a governor-general, henceforth referred to as the premier governor, who had held power directly prior to annexation, including prime ministers, founders, presidents, monarchs, legislators, court judges, or an equivalent. After the governor-general's term expires, a Japanese citizen may be appointed by the National Council, or by a direct popular vote should the National Council determine a direct popular vote the wisest choice.
Article 4. A commonwealth may create its own Constitution, so long it does not conflict with this constitution.
Article 5. Although part of the Japanese Empire, commonwealths may be described as separate entities, unless the National Council believes this to be unwise.
CHAPTER IX: AMENDMENTS
Article 1. Amendments to this Constitution shall be initiated by the Council, through a concurring vote of at least two-thirds of all the members of the Council. Amendments when so ratified shall be confirmed by the Emperor in the name of the people and promulgated as an integral part of this Constitution.
CHAPTER X: Imperial LAW
Article 1. This Constitution shall be the Imperial law of the land and no law, ordinance, imperial rescript or other act of government, or part thereof, contrary to the provisions hereof, shall have legal force or validity. The treaties concluded by Japan and established laws of nations shall be faithfully observed.
Article 2. The Prime Minister, as well as the Cabinet, members of the National Council, judges, and all other public officials have the obligation to respect and uphold this Constitution.
Article 3. The Diet has the right to dissolve or ignore this constitution if they see fit.
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