First, there were the Elder Statesmen (or _Genro_). They were a body
completely outside the Constitution. Survivors of the early Meiji
clansmen, they had prestige and experience. For several decades after
1900 they held the government in the hollow of their hands. They made
and unmade Cabinets, shuffled the Premiership among themselves, decided
on war and peace. Their last representative, Prince Saionji, died in
November 1940 at the age of 92. So from now on there will be no more
_Genro_ to be reckoned with.
Next comes the Imperial Household Ministry. Two officials here occupy
key positions. The Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal holds the seals which
must be affixed to state documents. And the Minister of the Imperial
Household has charge of matters connected with the Imperial Family.
These men are not only themselves powerful advisers of the Emperor. But
appointments to see the Emperor must be made through them. So at times
they have been able to bar their political opponents from reaching the
Imperial ear. Usually they hold office for life or until they wish to
resign.
The Privy Council is likewise a useful piece of machinery for Japan’s
ruling group. It is the supreme advisory body to the Emperor. It
consists of 26 life members, usually of great age. Cabinet Ministers
serve as members of the Council _ex-officio_, but are outvoted by
at least two to one. Among other things, the Privy Council ratifies
treaties, approves amendments to the Constitution, and passes on
Imperial ordinances.
The House of Peers consists of about 400 members, of whom more than 200
are drawn from the nobility, 125 are life appointees, and nearly 70 are
elected from the largest taxpayers. It is an extremely aristocratic and
conservative body. Yet its powers equal those of the lower house. And
its members can become Premiers or Cabinet Ministers.
Lastly, the Army and Navy, with their General Staffs and their
representatives on the Supreme War Council, are largely independent
of civilian control. The chiefs of the General Staffs and the War and
Navy Ministers have direct access to the Emperor. This means that they
can go over the Premier’s head to appeal any decision of his to the
Emperor. The War and Navy Ministers cannot be civilians. They must be
ranking officers in active service. Since they are nominated by the
Supreme War Council, the latter body can overthrow a Cabinet by simply
ordering them to resign. Or it can prevent the formation of a new
Cabinet which it does not like by refusing to offer nominations for the
War and Navy Ministries.