Article 33. The Imperial Diet shall consist of two Houses, a
House of Peers and a House of Representatives.
Article 34. The House of Peers shall, in accordance with the
ordinance concerning the House of Peers, be composed of the
members of the Imperial Family, of the orders of nobility, and of
those who have been nominated thereto by the Emperor.
Article 35. The House of Representatives shall be composed
of members elected by the people, according to the provisions of
the law of Election.
Article 36. No one can at one and the same time be a Member
of both Houses.
Article 37. Every law requires the consent of the Imperial
Diet.
Article 38. Both Houses shall vote upon projects of law
submitted to it by the Government, and may respectively initiate
projects of law.
Article 39. A Bill, which has been rejected by either the
one or the other of the two Houses, shall not be brought in again
during the same session.
Article 40. Both Houses can make representations to the
Government, as to laws or upon any other subject. When, however,
such representations are not accepted, they cannot be made a
second time during the same session.
Article 41. The Imperial Diet shall be convoked every year.
Article 42. A session of the Imperial Diet shall last during
three months. In case of necessity, the duration of a session may
be prolonged by the Imperial Order.
Article 43. When urgent necessity arises, an extraordinary
session may be convoked in addition to the ordinary one.
(2) The duration of an extraordinary session shall be
determined by Imperial Order.
Article 44. The opening, closing, prolongation of session
and prorogation of the Imperial Diet, shall be effected
simultaneously for both Houses.
(2) In case the House of Representatives has been ordered to
dissolve, the House of Peers shall at the same time be prorogued.
Article 45. When the House of Representatives has been
ordered to dissolve, Members shall be caused by Imperial Order to
be newly elected, and the new House shall be convoked within five
months from the day of dissolution.
Article 46. No debate can be opened and no vote can be taken
in either House of the Imperial Diet, unless not less than
one-third of the whole number of Members thereof is present.
Article 47. Votes shall be taken in both Houses by absolute
majority. In the case of a tie vote, the President shall have the
casting vote.
Article 48. The deliberations of both Houses shall be held
in public. The deliberations may, however, upon demand of the
Government or by resolution of the House, be held in secret
sitting.
Article 49. Both Houses of the Imperial Diet may
respectively present addresses to the Emperor.
Article 50. Both Houses may receive petitions presented by
subjects.
Article 51. Both Houses may enact, besides what is provided
for in the present Constitution and in the Law of the Houses,
rules necessary for the management of their internal affairs.
Article 52. No Member of either House shall be held
responsible outside the respective Houses, for any opinion
uttered or for any vote given in the House. When, however, a
Member himself has given publicity to his opinions by public
speech, by documents in print or in writing, or by any other
similar means, he shall, in the matter, be amenable to the
general law.
Article 53. The Members of both Houses shall, during the
session, be free from arrest, unless with the consent of the
House, except in cases of flagrant delicts, or of offenses
connected with a state of internal commotion or with a foreign
trouble.
Article 54. The Ministers of State and the Delegates of the
Government may, at any time, take seats and speak in either
House.