Lately in History class we've been talking a lot about the Japanese government. There were two major periods which had the most influence in shaping the government as it is today.
First, during the Meiji Restoration from 1870 to 1895, the government was designed through extensive study of western governments, but implemented in a way that was specifically Japanese. A parliament and a constitution were introduced, but power still emanated from the emperor, as he himself appointed the Prime Minister, and parliament members were more concerned with representing the emperor than the people.
This was also a period of significant military and education reform, and the emperor used this to reinforce his power by making both students and soldiers pledge allegiance to the emperor, and it became a standard part of Japanese life. In conjunction with this, the emperor no longer appeared in public in standard Japanese dress, but instead in military uniform usually. He also would appear in parades, so everyone could have the experience of seeing him and bowing to him.
Some of these reforms, in particular the ones that were enacted to reinforced the emperor's power and control, were part of what enabled Japan to become imperialistic in the time around WWII. At the same time, the traditional Japanese Shinto religion was transformed into a tool for empowering the emperor. Since Shinto religion stresses purification, the idea of a leader supposedly descended from the sun goddess worked well in this context. At that time, the people were required to practice Shinto, and Shinto shrines were built to face the emperor. In countries that Japan conquered, the residents were also forced to become Shinto and practice it. The religion fostered fascism well.
But Shintoism is no longer associated with the emperor, and was only aligned for use of the government for a short historical period.
The other main time period that shaped the government today was the post WWII occupation of Japan. After the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII, Japan was occupied by American troops from 1945 to 1952. In 1947, the government issued it's new constitution, which was essentially written by the United States, and originally in English. A main focus for the US during that time was the decentralize the power from the Emperor, and make it possible for the individual prefectures (states) of Japan to offer resistance against the national government if required. This sentiment is echoed in the 10th amendment to the US constitution.
The most controversial article of the constitution, Article 9, states
"Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. (2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized."
Originally, this meant that Japan would have no armed forces of any kind. But that changed soon after because of the Communist Party of China victory in the Chinese Civil War in 1949 and the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the U.S. occupying forces were pulled out of Japan to fight in Korea. To maintain order in Japan and to repel any possible invasion from the outside, the officer in charge of the occupation, General MacArthur, ordered the creation of Japan's National Police Reserve. This was done without parliamentary approval because the claim was that these were not military troops, despite the fact that the NPR was using Army surplus equipment, albeit under more civilian names (for example, tanks were "special vehicles"). A motion was brought before the Supreme Court of Japan to have the NPR declared unconstitutional, but it was dismissed by the Grand Bench for lack of relevance.
In another controversial move, a lot of the laws and practices that were enacted by the US in Japan to empower the prefectures and weaken the national government were repealed in order to make Japan a more easily controllable tool for use in these international conflicts.
The NPR over time also transformed into the Public Security Forces, then the Guard forces after the ratification of the (Peace) Treaty of San Francisco on September 8th, 1951. Finally, in 1954 they became the Self-Defense Forces. Despite the name, they have grown to a quarter of a million troops equipped with modern day weaponry, and have been used as part of UN peacekeeping operations abroad, and for disaster relief domestically. In the first overseas deployment without some sort of UN agreement, in January 2004 the Japanese troops were sent to Iraq as peace keepers, but they were all withdrawn by July 2006.
Perhaps my favorite thing I've found about the Japanese Self-Defense forces is this sign featuring their cute mascot, "Prince Pickles."
But here's some more cute pictures:
