State Council of Japan (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

The State Council of Japan (国務院 Kokumu-in) is the national advisory body of Japan.

The State Council is held a regular meeting at least once a month in the right wing of National Congress Building, Minkyo, the national capital of Japan. The State Council meeting site in National Congress Building is referred as “The State Council of the Republic of Japan Meeting Hall”.

Although the State Council assembled in National Congress Building, but the State Council is not a legislative parliamentary chamber. The State Council does not have any legislative, executive, and judicative power and intended only serves as an advisory body for the Government of Japan and National Congress in general and for the President of the Republic in particular. The State Council role is somewhat analogous to the role of upper house in bicameral parliament system.

Elections
Before the World War II, most of State Councillors elected by the corporate chambers, similar with Fascist Italian corporatism and several Councillors appointed by the President of the Republic by the concerns from the National Congress every eight years

After the implementation of 1946 amendment of 1931 Constitution, most of all State Councillors elected by the electoral college, consisted by 40 electorates, regardless the number of population in every prefectures every six years. There are two Councillors who elected in one prefecture and the electoral college will cast their votes twice. The National Front, an alliance of political parties under Nationalist Party leadership always nominating two of their candidates in each prefectures, while another candidate(s) usually are independent.

Some of the State Councillors are unelected. First, is the Councillors for Life which appointed by the President of the Republic by the concerns from the National Congress. By 1946, the number of Councillors for Life is only 7. But as 2012, there are 39 Councillors for Life in the Council. Second, is the representatives from Tokyo University. By 2012, there are 8 University representatives in the Council. Third, is the representatives from indigenous peoples in Hokkaido, Taiwan and South Pacific regions which appointed by the President of the Republic by the concerns from the Congress every four years. By 2012, there are 27 Indigenous representatives in the Council. Both the elected and unelected State Councillors has the equal right to vote in Kyogi Sokai.

Functions
Intended as the constitutional successor of the Privy Council of Emperor and the House of Peers of Imperial Diet, the State Council function is to advise the Government of Japan (the Congress and the President) on matters of grave importance including:


 * proposed amendments to the 1931 Constitution


 * matters of constitutional interpretation, proposed laws, and ordinances


 * proclamations of martial law


 * declaration of war and termination of war


 * treaties and other international agreements


 * matters submitted by the Congress


 * matters of general state policies.

However, the State Council rarely uses their functions alone today since most of its functions executes through Kyogi Sokai.

Powers
Extra-constitutionally, the State Council has several legislative powers when the Council assembling the Kyogi Sokai with the Legislative Council. The State Council can openly debated about the any legislation proposals from the Legislative Council which will be submitting to the National Congress.

According to the Regulations about the Joint Meeting between Two Councils, if the three-fourth quorum able to achieve from among all State Councillors, the State Council can vetoing the Legislative Council’s proposals.