The Council of Ministers (カクリョウ リジクワイ; 閣僚評議會 Kakuryō Riji-kwai) is the highest administrative body of Japan. The Council of Ministers created by the adoption of Republican Constitution in 1920. It consists of the Prime Minister and the Ministers of State
Nomination
Akasaka Palace, house of the Government of Japan
The composition of Council are proposed by the Committee of Three (三人官 San'ninkan) who appointed by the President of the Republic from among the National Congress every the start of Congress terms. If the Congress rejects the proposal, President must keep forming another Committees of Three with different compositions until the Congress found its acceptable. The Council members must be from the Congress.
During a time when the new Council of Ministers has not been approved by Congress, the President of the Republic may form a temporary presidential Cabinet (假行政官 Kari Gyōsei-kan) which directly responsible to President and may include a non-Congress member.
Functions and powers
The main function of Council of Ministers is to manage the implementation of general state policy. Every Ministers of State (國務相 Kokumushō) are free to carry out their duties as long as in accordance of general state policy. The Premier of the Republic (首相 Shushō) as the head of Council and the first among equals over another Ministers of State has the functions to supervise over the national administration, to convene and preside the meetings of Council, and to report the progression of national administration before the Legislative Council. The Akasaka Palace served as the official building of Japanese government in general and the seat of the Council in particular since 1920.
List of Prime Ministers of Japan
| № | Name (Lifespan) |
Picture | Term start | Term end | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inukai Tsuyoshi 犬養 毅 |
|
February 19, 1920 | April 12, 1923 | Non-partisan |
| 2 | Yamamoto Gonnohyōe 山本 權兵衛 |
- | April 12, 1923 | April 17, 1925 | Constitutionalist Party |
| 3 | Hōtori Etsu 鳳鳥 越 |
- | April 17, 1925 | June 9, 1933 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 4 | Yoshinohe Toyoda 芳之兵 豊打 |
- | June 9, 1933 | August 8, 1937 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 5 | Hōtori Etsu 鳳鳥 越 |
- | August 8, 1937 | August 8, 1946 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 6 | Konoe Fumimaro 近衛 文麿 |
|
August 8, 1946 | March 28, 1948 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 7 | Inukai Takeru 犬養 健 |
|
March 28, 1948 | January 22, 1950 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 8 | Hōtori Etsu 鳳鳥 越 |
- | January 22, 1950 | May 1, 1951 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 9 | Nosaka Sanzō 野坂 参三 |
|
May 1, 1951 | December 26, 1960 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 10 | Asanuma Inejirō 浅沼 稲次郎 |
|
December 26, 1960 | March 24, 1961 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 11 | Nosaka Sanzō 野坂 参三 |
|
March 24, 1961 | February 14, 1974 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 12 | Ōhira Masayoshi 大平 正芳 |
|
March 24, 1974 | June 12, 1980 | Nationalist Party of Japan |
| 13 | Kuroda Kan'ichi 黒田 寛一 |
|
July 7, 1980 | July 19, 1995 | Nationalist Party of Japan |