Governments / Countries / Japan
How is Japan governed?
Japan is a constitutional monarchy. Its head of state is the emperor and its head of government is the prime minister. Real power sits with the prime minister.
Questions people ask
- Is Japan a monarchy or a republic?
- Japan is a monarchy: a constitutional monarchy. Emperor: Naruhito.
- Who really rules Japan?
- The prime minister holds the real executive power. Head of state: Emperor. Head of government: Prime Minister.
- How is the head of state of Japan chosen?
- Hereditary.
- Does Japan have a king?
- It has a monarch: Emperor Naruhito, on the throne since 2019. Succession: hereditary.
- Is Japan a federation?
- No. It is a centralised unitary state.
- How many chambers does the parliament of Japan have?
- Two chambers: House of Representatives (465 seats) and House of Councillors (248 seats).
- Has Japan ever been a republic?
- Not in the period covered by this site.
Parliament: House of Representatives + House of Councillors
Japan's legislature has two chambers, 713 seats in all. Each dot is one seat; party seat counts are on IPU Parline.
Regime history
One label per period, on Japan's present-day identity.
16032026
| Years | Regime | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1603–1868 | Military rule | Tokugawa shogunate (the emperor reigns, the shogun rules) source |
| 1868–1889 | Absolute monarchy or empire | Meiji Restoration source |
| 1889–1945 | Constitutional monarchy | Empire of Japan (Meiji Constitution) source |
| 1945–1952 | Foreign occupation | Allied occupation source |
| 1952–today | Constitutional monarchy | Japan (parliamentary monarchy; constitution of 1947) source |