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Doc of the Day: The Constitution of Japan
05/03/10
The post-World War II Constitution of Japan came into effect on May 3, 1947. Developed under the guidance of U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur, the document reflected his efforts to guarantee that defeated Japan emerged from the American occupation as a peaceful, stable, and democratic country. It replaced the Meiji Constitution, which had served as the law of the land in Japan since 1889.
The 1947 Japanese Constitution renounced war, prohibited the creation of armed forces, guaranteed fundamental human rights, established universal adult suffrage, and gave the emperor only symbolic powers. Widely considered to be among the most liberal in the world, it has remained in effect without amendments to this day.
Read the CONSTITUTION OF JAPAN