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Table of Contents
Intro; Preface v; Acknowledgments vii; Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION 1; A. Japan and Its Importance in the World 1; B. Barriers to Understanding Japan's Legal System 2; 1. Language 2; 2. Japan and the Civil Law Tradition 2; 3. Assumptions 3; 4. (Lack of) Context as a Barrier 3; C.A Contextual Approach to the Japanese Legal System 4; 1. Avoiding Cultural Explanations 5; a. Definitional Problem 5; b. Cultural Explanations Can Be Misleading 5; c. Japanese "Uniqueness" and False Comparative Dichotomies 6; d. Ancient Culture, Modern Legal System 7; e. Language (Again) 7
F. Not Knowing It When You See It: When Culture Actually Matters 82. An Instrumentalist Approach to Context 8; 3. Government as Legal System 9; D. Stylistic Notes 10; Chapter 2. THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT 13; A. Overview 13; B. Early Japanese Law 14; C. The Kamakura Period to the Beginning of the Edo Period 17; D. The Edo Period 20; 1. Overview 20; 2. Edo Period Legal Culture 21; 3. The End of Isolation; Unequal Treaties and Collapse of the Tokugawa System 24; E. The Meiji Restoration and the Development of the Meiji System 26; 1. Overview 26; 2. Early Meiji Period Reforms 26
3. The Meiji Constitution 294. Meiji Period Legal Institutions and Codes 33; 5. The Decay of the Meiji System 33; F. The Occupation and Beyond 35; Chapter 3. THE STRUCTURE OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT 39; A. Introductory Remarks 39; B. The Levels of Japanese Government 40; C. The Emperor 41; 1. Introduction 41; 2. Constitutional Role 41; 3. The Imperial Family, Proxies and Succession 43; 4. Religious Roles of the Emperor 44; 5. Regnal Years 45; 6. The Emperor and the Public Service 45; 7. The Emperor and the System of Honors 46; D. The Diet 46; 1. Introduction 46
2. Constitutional Dimensions and Composition 473. Diet Sessions 48; 4. Diet Institutions 51; 5. Other Diet Powers 52; a. Control of Imperial Household Finances 52; b. Budgetary and Financial Controls 52; c. Investigative Powers 52; d. Interpellations 52; e. Non-Confidence Motions 53; f. Impeachment 53; E. The Cabinet and the Executive Branch 53; 1. Historical Background 53; 2. The Cabinet Under the Current Constitution 54; 3. The Cabinet and Ministers 55; 4. The Prime Minister 56; 5. The Cabinet Secretariat 57; 6. The Cabinet Legislation Bureau 57
7. Ministries, Agencies and Commissions: An Overview 60a. Introduction 60; b. Leadership and Organizational Structure of the Ministries 64; 8. The Ministries 66; a. Overview 66; b. The Cabinet Office 68; c. Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) 70; d. Ministry of Justice (MOJ) 71; e. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) 75; f. Ministry of Finance (MOF) 76; g. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) 77; h. Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) 79; i. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (MAFF) 80
F. Not Knowing It When You See It: When Culture Actually Matters 82. An Instrumentalist Approach to Context 8; 3. Government as Legal System 9; D. Stylistic Notes 10; Chapter 2. THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT 13; A. Overview 13; B. Early Japanese Law 14; C. The Kamakura Period to the Beginning of the Edo Period 17; D. The Edo Period 20; 1. Overview 20; 2. Edo Period Legal Culture 21; 3. The End of Isolation; Unequal Treaties and Collapse of the Tokugawa System 24; E. The Meiji Restoration and the Development of the Meiji System 26; 1. Overview 26; 2. Early Meiji Period Reforms 26
3. The Meiji Constitution 294. Meiji Period Legal Institutions and Codes 33; 5. The Decay of the Meiji System 33; F. The Occupation and Beyond 35; Chapter 3. THE STRUCTURE OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT 39; A. Introductory Remarks 39; B. The Levels of Japanese Government 40; C. The Emperor 41; 1. Introduction 41; 2. Constitutional Role 41; 3. The Imperial Family, Proxies and Succession 43; 4. Religious Roles of the Emperor 44; 5. Regnal Years 45; 6. The Emperor and the Public Service 45; 7. The Emperor and the System of Honors 46; D. The Diet 46; 1. Introduction 46
2. Constitutional Dimensions and Composition 473. Diet Sessions 48; 4. Diet Institutions 51; 5. Other Diet Powers 52; a. Control of Imperial Household Finances 52; b. Budgetary and Financial Controls 52; c. Investigative Powers 52; d. Interpellations 52; e. Non-Confidence Motions 53; f. Impeachment 53; E. The Cabinet and the Executive Branch 53; 1. Historical Background 53; 2. The Cabinet Under the Current Constitution 54; 3. The Cabinet and Ministers 55; 4. The Prime Minister 56; 5. The Cabinet Secretariat 57; 6. The Cabinet Legislation Bureau 57
7. Ministries, Agencies and Commissions: An Overview 60a. Introduction 60; b. Leadership and Organizational Structure of the Ministries 64; 8. The Ministries 66; a. Overview 66; b. The Cabinet Office 68; c. Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) 70; d. Ministry of Justice (MOJ) 71; e. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) 75; f. Ministry of Finance (MOF) 76; g. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) 77; h. Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) 79; i. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (MAFF) 80