Constitution of Japan

Adopted in 1946 and effective 1947, it renounced war and established parliamentary democracy under a symbolic emperor.

Overview

Drafted during the American occupation after World War II, the Japanese Constitution was promulgated in November 1946 and took effect in May 1947. Article 9 renounces war and the maintenance of armed forces, making Japan the only state whose constitution expressly forbids war, though Self Defense Forces exist under reinterpretation. The emperor became a symbol of the state with no political power. It created a Westminster influenced parliamentary system, entrenched civil liberties, and gave women equal rights. Never formally amended in nearly eight decades, the pacifist Article 9 remains the focus of ongoing political debate.