Article 65. Executive power shall be vested in the Cabinet.
Article 66. The Cabinet shall consist of the Prime Minister,
who shall be its head, and other Ministers of State, as provided
for by law.
(2) The Prime Minister and other Minister of State must be
civilians.
(3) The Cabinet, in the exercise of executive power, shall
be collectively responsible to the Diet.
Article 67. The Prime Minister shall be designated from
among the members of the Diet by a resolution of the Diet. This
designation shall precede all other business.
(2) If the House of Representatives and the House of
Councillors disagrees and if no agreement can be reached even
through a joint committee of both Houses, provided for by law, or
the House of Councillors fails to make designation within ten
(10) days, exclusive of the period of recess, after the House of
Representatives has made designation, the decision of the House
of Representatives shall be the decision of the Diet.
Article 68. The Prime Minister shall appoint the Ministers
of State. However, a majority of their number must be chosen from
among the members of the Diet.
(2) The Prime Minister may remove the Ministers of State as
he chooses.
Article 69. If the House of Representatives passes a
non-confidence resolution, or rejects a confidence resolution,
the Cabinet shall resign en masse, unless the House of
Representatives is dissolved with ten (10) days.
Article 70. When there is a vacancy in the post of Prime
Minister, or upon the first convocation of the Diet after a
general election of members of the House of Representatives, the
Cabinet shall resign en masse.
Article 71. In the cases mentioned in the two preceding
articles, the Cabinet shall continue its functions until the time
when a new Prime Minister is appointed.
Article 72. The Prime Minister, representing the Cabinet,
submits bills, reports on general national affairs and foreign
relations to the Diet and exercises control and supervision over
various administrative branches.
Article 73. The Cabinet, in addition to other general
administrative functions, shall perform the following functions:
(i) Administer the law faithfully; conduct affairs of state;
(ii) Manage foreign affairs;
(iii) Conclude treaties. However, it shall obtain prior
or, depending on circumstances, subsequent
approval of the Diet;
(iv) Administer the civil service, in accordance with
standards established by law;
(v) Prepare the budget, and present it to the Diet;
(vi) Enact cabinet orders in order to execute the provisions
of this Constitution and of the law. However, it cannot
include penal provisions in such cabinet orders unless
authorized by such law.
(vii) Decide on general amnesty, special amnesty, commutation
of punishment, reprieve, and restoration of rights.
Article 74. All laws and cabinet orders shall be signed by
the competent Minister of state and countersigned by the Prime
Minister.
Article 75. The Ministers of state, during their tenure of
office, shall not be subject to legal action without the consent
of the Prime Minister. However, the right to take that action is
not impaired hereby.