The Imperial House Council

Composition of the Council and terms of office for the members of the Council selected by mutual election (Imperial House Law, Articles 28, 30, and 32)

  • 1 Council Members … 10 (Two Imperial Family Members, the Speaker and Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Presidents and Vice Presidents of the House of Councilors, the Prime Minister, the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency, and the Chief Justice and one other justice of the Supreme Court).
  • 2 Reserve Members … 10
  • 3 The term of office of the elected members of the Council, who are the Imperial Family Members and a justice other than the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and their reserve members, is four years.

Members of the Imperial House Council

  • Council Members
    • Two Imperial Family Members
    • Speaker of the House of Representatives
    • Vice-Speaker of the House of Representatives
    • President of the House of Councilors
    • Vice-President of the House of Councilors
    • Prime Minister
    • Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency
    • Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
    • A justice of the Supreme Court
  • Reserve Members
    • Two Imperial Family Members
    • A member of the House of Representatives
    • A member of the House of Representatives
    • A member of the House of Councilors
    • A member of the House of Councilors
    • Minister of State
    • Vice-Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency
    • A justice of the Supreme Court
    • A justice of the Supreme Court

Mandate of the Council

  • 1 Change in the order of succession to the Imperial Throne (Imperial House Law, Article 3)
  • 2 Institution of the Empress and the marriage of any male Member of the Imperial Family (Imperial House Law, Article 10)
  • 3 Loss of status of an Imperial Family Member (Imperial House Law, Articles 11, 13, and 14)
  • 4 Establishment and abolition of a Regency (Imperial House Law, Articles 16 and 20)
  • 5 Change of the order of assumption of Regency (Imperial House Law, Article 18)
A meeting of the Imperial House Council (Imperial Household Agency Building)
December 1, 2017