House of Peers (Japan)
Encyclopedia
The was the upper house
of the Imperial Diet
as mandated under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan (in effect from 11 February 1889 to 3 May 1947).
Ito Hirobumi
and the other Meiji
leaders deliberately modeled the chamber on the British
House of Lords
, as a counterweight to the popularly elected House of Representatives
(Shūgiin).
In 1869, under the new Meiji government, a Japanese peerage
was created by an Imperial decree merging the former Court nobility (kuge
) and former feudal lords (daimyo
) into a single new aristocratic
class
called the kazoku
.
A second imperial ordinance in 1884 grouped the kazoku into five ranks equivalent to the Europe
an prince
(or duke
), marquis
, count
, viscount
, and baron
. Although this grouping idea was taken from the European peerage, the Japanese titles were taken from Chinese
and based on the ancient feudal system in China
.
The House of Peers originally comprised:
For the first session of the Imperial Diet (1889–1890), there were 145 hereditary members and 106 imperial appointees and high taxpayers, for a total of 251 members.
With the creation of new peers, additional seats for members of the former Korean aristocracy and four seats for representatives from The Japan Imperial Academy
, membership peaked at 403 seats by 1925. In its 92nd and final session, the number of members was 373.
After World War II
, under the current Constitution of Japan
, in effect from 3 May 1947, the unelected House of Peers was replaced by an elected House of Councillors
.
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
of the Imperial Diet
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
as mandated under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan (in effect from 11 February 1889 to 3 May 1947).
Ito Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
Prince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
and the other Meiji
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
leaders deliberately modeled the chamber on the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, as a counterweight to the popularly elected House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...
(Shūgiin).
In 1869, under the new Meiji government, a Japanese peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
was created by an Imperial decree merging the former Court nobility (kuge
Kuge
The was a Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese imperial court in Kyoto until the rise of the Shogunate in the 12th century at which point it was eclipsed by the daimyo...
) and former feudal lords (daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
) into a single new aristocratic
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
called the kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
.
A second imperial ordinance in 1884 grouped the kazoku into five ranks equivalent to the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
(or duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
), marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
, count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
, viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
, and baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
. Although this grouping idea was taken from the European peerage, the Japanese titles were taken from Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
and based on the ancient feudal system in China
Social structure of China
The social structure of China has a very long history, going from the feudal society of imperial times to the industrializing and urbanizing society of today.The teaching of Confucius taught of five basic relationships in life:...
.
The House of Peers originally comprised:
- the Crown PrinceCrown PrinceA crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
from age of 18 - all imperial princes (shinnō) and lesser princes of the imperial blood (ō) over the age of twenty
- all princes and marquis over the age of 25 (raised to age 30 in 1925)
- 150 representatives elected from the ranks of counts, viscounts, and barons over the age of 25 (raised to age 30 in 1925), for seven year terms
- 150 additional members nominated by the EmperorEmperor of JapanThe Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
, in consultation with the Privy CouncilPrivy Council (Japan)was an advisory council to the Emperor of Japan that operated from 1888 to 1947.-Functions:Modeled in part upon the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, this body advised the throne on matters of grave importance including:... - 66 elected representatives of the 6,000 highest taxpayers, for seven year terms.
For the first session of the Imperial Diet (1889–1890), there were 145 hereditary members and 106 imperial appointees and high taxpayers, for a total of 251 members.
With the creation of new peers, additional seats for members of the former Korean aristocracy and four seats for representatives from The Japan Imperial Academy
The Japan Academy
is an honorary organization founded in 1879 to bring together leading Japanese scholars with distinguished records of scientific achievements. The Academy is currently organization attached to the Ministry of Education; and the organization's headquarters located in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan...
, membership peaked at 403 seats by 1925. In its 92nd and final session, the number of members was 373.
Presidents of the House of Peers
| Name | Title | Dates as President | Sessions | |
| 1 | Ito Hirobumi Ito Hirobumi Prince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire... |
Count (hakushaku) | 24 October 1890 – 20 July 1891 | 1 |
| 2 | Hachisuka Mochiaki Hachisuka Mochiaki was the 14th and final daimyo of Tokushima Domain, Awa Province, and the 2nd President of the House of Peers in Meiji period Japan.- Early life :... |
Marquis (kōshaku) | 20 July 1891 – 3 October 1896 | 2–9 |
| 3 | Konoe Atsumaro Konoe Atsumaro Prince was a Japanese politician and journalist of the Meiji era. He served as the 3rd President of the House of Peers and 7th President of the Gakushūin Peer's School in Meiji period Japan... |
Prince (kōshaku) | 3 October 1896 – 4 December 1903 | 10–18 |
| 4 | Tokugawa Iesato Tokugawa Iesato Prince was the first head of the Tokugawa clan after the overthrow of the Tokugawa bakufu, and a figure in Japanese politics during the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japan.-Early life:... |
Prince (kōshaku) | 4 December 1903 – 9 June 1933 | 19–64 |
| 5 | Fumimaro Konoe Fumimaro Konoe Prince was a politician in the Empire of Japan who served as the 34th, 38th and 39th Prime Minister of Japan and founder/leader of the Taisei Yokusankai.- Early life :... |
Prince (kōshaku) | 9 June 1933 – 17 June 1937 | 65–70 |
| 6 | Matsudaira Yorinaga | Count (hakushaku) | 17 June 1937 – 11 October 1944 | 71–85 |
| 7 | Tokugawa Kuniyuki | Prince (kōshaku) | 11 October 1944 – 19 June 1946 | 86–89 |
| 8 | Tokugawa Iemasa Tokugawa Iemasa Prince , 2nd Prince Tokugawa Japanese political figure of the Taishō and Shōwa period. Seventeenth head of the former Tokugawa shogunal house, he held a variety of government positions, including ambassador to Turkey... |
Prince (kōshaku) | 19 June 1946 – 2 May 1947 | 90-92 |
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, under the current Constitution of Japan
Constitution of Japan
The is the fundamental law of Japan. It was enacted on 3 May, 1947 as a new constitution for postwar Japan.-Outline:The constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights...
, in effect from 3 May 1947, the unelected House of Peers was replaced by an elected House of Councillors
House of Councillors
The is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or designation of the prime minister, the House of Representatives...
.