Japan’s government

You’re now standing in front of the Sumida City Office. Tokyo consists of 23 wards, each with its own city hall and all overseen by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. By the way, I highly recommend visiting the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building if you have a bit of time ahead.

Once the tallest structure in the city, it offers a stunning panoramic view of Tokyo and even of Mount Fuji from its observation deck. Before that, let’s take this moment to explore Japan’s political system. Japan is a constitutional monarchy, just like the United Kingdom or Spain.

Yet, unlike other monarchies who have a king, Japan is the only country in the world that is still ruled by an emperor. Today, he holds very little political power, as the real executive authority lies with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers. Japan’s legislative power is bicameral, similar to systems found in countries such as France, consisting of the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives, where members are elected by the people.

As for the judiciary system, the highest authority is the Supreme Court of Japan. This structure has been in place since the establishment of the Japanese Constitution in May 1947, maintaining a stable government for more than 70 years. There you go, you now know a little more on how this fascinating country works.