Ernest Wilson Clement

“ It is really unthinkable that any Japanese Emperor could ever suffer the fate of Charles I of England. It was this idea of imperial sanctity that made the people discredit, at first, the report of the anarchist conspiracy of 1910. It must however be acknowledged, that even the Emperor is not always exempt from being the subject of discussion. ”

“ Considering that Our subjects are the descendants of the loyal and good subjects of Our Imperial Ancestors, We doubt not but that Our subjects will be guided by Our views, and will sympathize with all Our endeavours, and that, harmoniously co-operating together, they will share with Us Our hope of making manifest the glory of Our country, both at home and abroad, and of securing forever the stability of the work bequeathed to Us by Our Imperial Ancestors. ”

“ The sanction of the Sovereign to a bill is the final point in Japanese legislation. The Emperor is absolutely free either to give or refuse sanction. Therefore, you may say that the Emperor has an absolute veto over all legislation. ”

“ The Constitution cannot be amended unless a project to that effect is submitted by imperial order to the Imperial Diet. Then, in neither House, can an amendment be debated unless two-thirds of its members are present; and no amendment can be passed unless two-thirds of the members present approve. [12] Ito explains why the Diet cannot initiate an amendment by saying that "the right of making amendments to the Constitution must belong to the Emperor Himself, as He is the sole author of it." ”

“ Not only does the Emperor thus exercise the executive power of the State, but, according to a specific article: [8] "The Emperor exercises the legislative power with the consent of the Imperial Diet." And, as the Emperor, by Article VI, " gives sanction to laws and orders them to be promulgated and executed," it naturally and logically follows, according to Ito, that "He also possesses the power to refuse His sanction." ”

“ Uyehara affirms most positively that "it is not the personality of the Emperor ... upon which the strength and the value of the Japanese monarchy depend"; [15] and he claims that it is "the unique history and tradition of the imperial throne"; but we make bold to say, even in opposition to a Japanese, that the personality of the sovereign is of special importance. It is possible that, in general, the imperial personality weighs more than the individual personality. ”

“ The rights of sovereignty of the State, We have inherited from Our Ancestors, and We shall bequeath them to Our descendants. Neither We nor they shall in future fail to wield them, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution hereby granted. ”

“ Article LXVI.—The expenditures of the Imperial House shall be defrayed every year out of the National Treasury, according to the present fixed amount for the same, and shall not require the consent thereto of the Imperial Diet, except in case an increase thereof is found necessary. ”

“ In the case of double consonants, each one must be given its full sound.
There are as many syllables as vowels. There is practically no accent; but care must be taken to distinguish between o and ō, u and ū, of which the second is more prolonged than the first.
Be sure to avoid the flat sound of a, which is always pronounced ah.
Japanese words, especially names, should almost always be divided into syllables with a vowel at the end of each syllable. The principal exception is in the case of double consonants ”

“ This pamphlet is an attempt to give a bird's-eye view of the progress and position of constitutional government and representative institutions in Japan. It does not pretend to enter into a detailed discussion of the various questions which naturally arise ”

“ When, however, a Member himself has given publicity to his opinions by public speech, by documents in print or in writing, or by any other similar means, he shall, in the matter, be amenable to the general law.
Article LIII.—The Members of both Houses shall, during the session, be free from arrest, unless with the consent of the House, except in cases of flagrant delicts, or of offences connected with a state of internal commotion or with a foreign trouble. ”

“ We now reverently make Our prayer to Them and to Our Illustrious Father, and implore the help of Their Sacred Spirits, and make to Them solemn oath never at this time nor in the future to fail to be an example to Our subjects in the observance of the Laws hereby established. ”

“ Ito, Commentaries on the Constitution of the Empire of Japan, Igirisu Horitsu Gakko, Tokyo, 1889.
Clement, Constitutional Government in Japan, American Academy of Political and Social Science, Philadelphia, 1903. ”