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Show -oo THE CABINET BODY OF JAPAN By KIYO SUE INOr, Department of PoUtlcnl Sclcnco University of Southern California. Cali-fornia. t Under the Japanese constitution was evolved, Into two distinct branches of political organization, the idea of the British privy council whoso members wore tho advisors to tho orown. Wo reviewed Japan's privy council last week. Tho other branch is the ministers of state, -who gradually became tho organic body, the cabinet. Theoretically tho cabinet exercises all powers vested In tho orown, namo-ly, namo-ly, oxecutivo, legislative and Judiciary In his name.- But today they are only adminlstratlvo officers. As Judges nnrl TMlhHf! nrrHnP-lltrrn nrn nnnnlntnil for lifo tho cabinet has no power over thorn excopt In tho dmlnlstratlvo court whore purely adminlstratlvo matters are transacted. In tho legislative department the cablnot membors have the right aa well as tho responsibility of Initiating a budget. They have seats in the parliament, can make explanations or answer quostlons at any tlmo concerning concern-ing their policies, talce In discussion and havo freo access to committee rooms. But of course, they can do nothing without the approval of parliament, par-liament, At first, the minlstors wcro appointed ap-pointed by tho emperor and wcro accountable ac-countable to him for their advice and actions. But soon the. development of soml-polltlcal clan parties took place under the leadership of elder statesmen. These leaders began to form coalition cabinets, asrcalng upon some working plans or platform. This made the responsibility of tho ministers mini-sters flullo coherent within tho cabi net although each member Whs still answerable for his achievements or failure. With tho present development of party politics in Japan tho foramtion and appointment of "the cabinet rests with tho leader of tho majority party, Tho usual practice now is for the retiring re-tiring minister president to recommend recom-mend to the emperor that the chief of tho controlling parly be summoned to form the cablnot. SUch a ministry is, with three exceptions, jointly responsible, re-sponsible, theoretically speaking to tho mikado. But In realty it Is to the people or their representatives in parliament that they aro responsible. There are 11 members on the cabinet: cabi-net: premier, minister of the Interior, foreign affairs, finance, judiciary, agriculture ag-riculture and commerce, communication communica-tion and lmporlai household. The ministers of the army and navy are not yet appointed from among the civilians. It was originally thought tho question of national defense de-fense should hot be a subject of party politics Whllo th6 theory may bo right thoso ministers who are responsible respon-sible to any political party electorate can ofton exhibit ugly Independence contrary to public opinion. A strong pressure of public censuro Is now being be-ing brought to bear to mako these offices open to civilians and responsible respon-sible to the parliament. ' rr |