The Imperial Diet consists of two houses: the House of Peers and the
House of Representatives. There is no difference of privilege between
the two houses, except that the annual budget is to be first submitted
to the House of Representatives, and that the latter may be dissolved,
while no law exists for the dissolution of the former; further, that the
president and vice-president of the Upper House are appointed by the
emperor from amongst the members, whilst those of the Lower House are
appointed by the emperor out of three candidates for each elected by the
House.
The Representatives are elected by direct votes of electors. Until
recent years the country was divided into many small electoral districts
(nearly three hundred, in fact). Each district elected one
representative, and a few elected two representatives, the difference
having arisen from the difficulty of demarking the Sphere uniformly, on
account of the local peculiarities and the number of the population. The
total number of the representatives amounted to just three hundred. A
great change was introduced in recent years in the system of election.
Each prefecture now forms one large electoral district, except that all
the cities, although they are all situated within the prefecture, form
separate districts, each independently. Each district elects a certain
number of representatives allotted to it by law, based upon the number
of the population of such district. (In cases of extremely small cities
the allotment is only one representative.) Each elector may vote for
only one candidate whatever may be the number of representatives
allotted to that district. Men who have polled the largest number of
votes are picked out to the allotted number, and they are regarded as
elected, but in all cases the elected must have polled one-fifth of the
number obtained by dividing the whole number of the registered electors
by the number of the representatives allotted to the district. This mode
of election is called the 'large-district single-vote-system.' It easily
enables the minority of the district to have themselves represented in
the Diet. When any vacancy occurs within a year from the election, the
one who has polled the largest number next to the elected takes his
seat, provided that he had also polled the requisite quorum of votes as
above mentioned. The voting is by ballot (anonymous). There are, of
course, some disqualifications for being an elector or a candidate,
including the disability of titled noblemen for taking part in the
matter. The actual number of the representatives is three hundred and
seventy-six. The qualifications of the electors are that they shall be
male subjects of twenty-five years old or above, paying ten yen (M 20)
of direct taxes and having a year's residence in the district. The
qualifications of the candidates are that they shall be male subjects
thirty years old or above, and their terms are four years.
The composition of the House of Peers is somewhat complicated. The
Japanese name for it is 'Kizoku-in.' 'Kizoku' is generally translated as
peers, and it certainly means noble or high families, but not in the
strict sense of titled people in the West. For the strict equivalent of
peers or nobility, in the Western sense, we have another term 'Kwazoku.'
Our House of Peers consists of the following members, who must always be
males:
(1) Male members of the Imperial family who have attained their full
age.
(2) Princes (dukes) and marquises who have attained the age of
twenty-five years.
Both these classes (one and two) sit in the House by their inherent
right.
(3) Representatives elected by counts, viscounts, and barons from
amongst themselves, each grade separately.
The numbers of such representatives is previously determined, always not
exceeding one-fifth of the total number of each grade. They must be
twenty-five years old, and their terms are seven years.
(4) Life members appointed by the emperor by virtue of distinguished
services rendered to the state, or of intellectual distinction. They all
of them must be fully thirty years old; nearly all of those who are thus
nominated do not belong to the nobility in the strict sense of the term.
(5) Members elected, one for each prefecture, by mutual election of
fifteen highest direct-tax payers of each of the respective prefectures.
Such tax payers must be thirty years old, and their paying the taxes
must be on account of the lands they hold or of industry or commerce.
Therefore, one who simply lives on an income derived from state-bonds
would hardly be entitled to claim this privilege. The terms of these
members are also seven years. The total number in classes four and five
may not exceed the total number in classes two and three, viz., members
belonging purely to the nobility.
The Diet is to be convoked once a year for an ordinary session, the
length of which is three months, and can be prolonged when necessary.
Special sessions may be instituted when necessary. All members of both
Houses, except those belonging to classes number one and number two of
the Upper House, or those who are in the government service, receive two
thousand yen (M 4000) a year, whilst presidents and vice-presidents
receive five thousand yen and three thousand yen respectively.