Parliamentary Systems of Japan and Germany: A Comparison

Seminar paper from the year 2000 in the subject Politics - Region: Far East, grade: 1,0 (A), University of Wyoming (Department of Political Science), course: Government and Politics of Asia, language: English, abstract: This paper wants to compare the parliamentary systems of Japan and Germany, especiallythe structure of the governments, the Diet, and the Bundestag. In our paper we willanswer the following questions: Why can both countries be compared? What historical prerequisitesled to the recent political systems? How do the respective parts of parliamentsand governmental institutions work together? Therefore, we want to concentrate on thequestion, where there are similarities in the political procedures and where these ones differ?Several reasons make both countries comparable. In this regard, our first item gives anoverview over 130 years of a Japanese-German relationship, in which many parallel historicaldevelopments and treaties occurred. A description of the constitutional developments(item 3) shows that the Japanese Constitution of 1890 adopted general provisions(especially provisions for the emperor and the parliament) from the German Constitution of1871. In addition, both postwar Constitutions were strongly influenced by the UnitedStates occupation politics, which established a parliamentary democracy in both countries. All of these are necessary fundamentals to show that both systems can be compared becauseof these several similar, historical, and political developments. Our fourth item comparesthe parliamentary systems today. Within the concluding remarks we will point out thedifferences and the similarities, both systems share or rather divide from each other. Japan and Germany can look back upon 130 years of a more or less deep relationship. Sure, there are some differences within this old official Japanese-German relationship, andthere are parallels with other states. But despite of all possible relativity, the degree of theJapanese-German similarity is succinct, and it is possible to discover parallels betweencertain historical developments in Japan and developments in Germany. The official relationsbegan on January, 24th 1861 when the Prussian East Asian Delegation under the DukeFriedrich zu Eulenburg and the Japanese Shogunat completed the Freundschafts-, Handels-,und Schiffahrtsvertrag (Friendship, Trade-, and Navigation-Treaty). [...]