| Government
/ Political System |
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1. Who is the current
leader of Japan?
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| Prime
Minister Abe (Public Relations Office) |
In December 2012,
Shinzo Abe was re-appointed by the Diet (legislature) as Japan's 96th
prime minister. Prime Minister Abe is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the party currently holding the largest block of representation
in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors that together
make up the Diet. Mr. Abe, who was born on September 21, 1954, has served
in the House of Representatives since 1993. For further
information about Shinzo Abe and the official prime minister's residence,
please visit http://www.kantei.go.jp/
2. What type of government does Japan
have?
The Japanese government, a
constitutional monarchy, is based on a parliamentary cabinet system.
Executive power is vested in the cabinet, which consists of the prime
minister and not more than 17 ministers of state that collectively are
responsible to the Diet. The prime minister, who must be a member
of the Diet, is designated by the Diet. In practice, the prime
minister is always a member of the House of Representatives. The
prime minister has the power to appoint and dismiss the ministers of
state, all of whom must be civilians and a majority of whom must be
members of the Diet. Japan's constitution became effective on May 3, 1947, and consists of
103 articles. For further information, please visit
http://web-japan.org/factsheet/govern/diet.html
Political System
of Japan (Japan Fact Sheet, Japan Information Network)
3. What are the political
parties in Japan?
There are several political
parties in Japan. In December 2012, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) lost its parliamentary majority and its administration was subsequently replaced by a government-led coalition of the Liberal Democratic
Party (LDP) and the New
Komeito. The party currently holding the greatest number
of seats in the Diet is the Liberal Democratic
Party (LDP), of which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is leader. Other parties
include the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),
the Japan Restoration Party, the Your Party, the Japanese Communist
Party, the People's Life Party, the Social
Democratic Party, the Green Wind Party Japan, the New Party DAICH and the People's New Party. To learn more about these please visit
http://web-japan.org/links/government/political/political.html
4. What is the role of the Imperial
Family in Japan?
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| Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko
(Imperial Household Agency) |
Under the constitution
of Japan, the emperor is the symbol of the state, and has no powers
related to the government. He performs only those ceremonial acts
that are stipulated in the constitution, such as awarding honors- all
on the advice and approval of the cabinet. The present Emperor,
Akihito, was born in 1933 and acceded to the throne on January 7, 1989.
He is married to Empress Michiko, and they have three children.
To learn more about the Imperial Family, please visit
http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/japan/imperial.html
http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/eindex.html
5. Who is the Japanese ambassador
to the US and vice-versa?
Current Ambassador
of Japan to the U.S. is Kenichiro Sasae. He began to serve as the Japanese
Ambassador to the United States in November, 2012. Prior
to this assignment, he served as the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan between 2010 and 2012.
For more details, please visit:
http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/embassy/ambassador.htm
(Embassy of Japan, Washington DC)
Current U.S. Ambassador
to Japan is the Honorable John V. Roos. On August 16, 2009, John V. Roos
was
sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Japan, succeeding Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer,
Jr. He was nominated by President Obama
on May 27, 2009 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 7. Ambassador
Roos arrived in Tokyo on August 19 and presented his credentials to the Emperor
of Japan on August 20. For more information, please visit:
http://tokyo.usembassy.gov.
(U.S. Embassy in
Tokyo)
6. What Japan-related
governmental agencies are located in the US?
The following are the major
organizations in the US affiliated with the government of Japan:
Embassy of Japan
2520 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: (202) 238-6700
http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/
There are also 14 General
Consulates of Japan in the United States. To see the list of the offices,
please click here
Japan Information Center
50 Fremont St., Suite 2200
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone: (415) 356-2460
http://www.sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/e_top.htm
JETRO(Japan External Trade
Organization)
235 Pine St., Suite 1700
San Francisco, CA 94104 USA
Telephone: 415-392-1333
Fax: 415-788-6927
http://www.jetro.go.jp/usa
JEI (Japan Economic Institute
of America)
http://www.jei.org/
Although the Japan Economic
Institute was phased out in 2000, publications may still be viewed on
the website, above.
JICA (Japan International
Cooperation Agency)
1776 Eye Street, NW, Suite 895
Washington, D.C.20006 USA
Telephone: 202-293-2334
Fax: 202-293-9200
http://www.jica.go.jp/
Japan Federation of Construction
Contractors
1825 K Street, NW #1203
Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: 202-466-3585
Fax: 202-466-3586
http://www.nikkenren.com/
The Overseas Economic Cooperation
Fund
2100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 535
Washington, D.C. 20037
Telephone: (202) 463-7492
http://www.jbic.go.jp/english/
New Energy & Industrial
Technology Development Organization
1901 L Street, NW Suite 602
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 822-9298
http://www.nedo.go.jp/english/
National Space Development
Agency of Japan
1301 K Street, NW Suite 560-E
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone: (202) 333-6444
http://www.nasda.go.jp/index_e.html
Manufactured Imports Promotion
Organization
2000 L Street, NW Suite 616
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 659-3729
http://www.mipro.or.jp/
Japan International Transport
Institute
1819 L Street, NW Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 833-9763
Researches U.S. transportation policy
http://www.japantransport.com/
Japan Society for the Promotion
of Science
1800 K Street, NW Suite 920
Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: (202) 659-8190
http://www.jsps.go.jp/e-home.htm
Japan Center for International
Finance
90017th Street, NW Suite 603
Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: (202) 822-9635
http://www.jcif.or.jp/e_index.htm
Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute
1825 K Street, NW Suite 717
Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: (202) 293-4551
http://www.jaeri.go.jp/
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