We hereby give Our sanction with the advice of the Privy Council to the Ordinance for the amendment of the Ordinance pertaining to the Appointment of Diplomat, Consul, and Chancellor and cause the said Ordinance to be promulgated. Signed: Hirohito, Seal of the Emperor This twenty-seventh day of the fourth month of the twenty-first year of Showa. (27 April, 1946) Countersigned: Baron Kijuro Shidehara Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida Foreign Minister Imperial Ordinance No. 245 The following amendments Shall be made to the Ordinance pertaining to the Appointment of Diplomat, Consul and Chancellor. In Article 2, "the officials of Kotokan Rank of Foreign Ministry or Greater East Asia Ministry "shall read "First or Second Class Secretaries of Foreign Ministry". In Article 3, "held office in foreign countries", shall read "engaged in the affairs of the Foreign Ministry for not less than one year or appointed as a student of the Foreign Service Training Institute and completed its course". In Article 5, Paragraph 1, Item 3, "held office at embassies, legations or consulates abroad for not less than two years" shall read "engage in the affairs of the Foreign Ministry for not less than one year or appointed as a student of the Foreign Service Training Institute and completed its course". In the same Article, Paragraph 2, "and the Minister of Greater East Asia" shall be deleted. In Article 6, "official of Hannin Rank of Foreign Ministry or Greater East Asia Ministry", shall read "Third Class Secretary of the Foreign Ministry". In Article 9, Paragraph 1, "or student sent abroad by the Greater East Asia Ministry" shall be deleted, and in the same Article Paragraph 2, "or student sent abroad by the Greater East Asia Ministry", and "or the Minister of Greater East Asia" shall be deleted. Supplementary Provisions: The present Ordinance shall come into force as from the day of its promulgation. As regards the applications of the provisions of Article 2 or Article 6, officials of Kotokan rank or of Hannin rank who have engaged in the (adminisrative) duties at the Foreign Ministry or the Greater East Asia Ministry shall be regarded as First, Second or Third class Secretaries of the Foreign Ministry. The proviso of Article 237, Paragraph 1, and Paragraph 2 of the Imperial Ordinance of the tenth year of Showa (1935) shall not be applied for the time being. The Imperial Ordinance No. 86 of the twenty-eighth year of Meiji (1895) shall be abrogated.