Chapter I. Convocation of the Diet and Opening Ceremony

Article 1. The Imperial rescript convoking the Diet shall be promulgated, setting the date for assembling. The Imperial rescript of convoking an ordinary session shall be promulgated at least twenty (20) days in advance. The Imperial rescript convoking an extraordinary session or a special session convoked under Article 54 of the Constitution of Japan need not be bound by the provision of the preceding paragraph.

Article 2. An ordinary session shall be convoked within the first ten days of December every year. However it must be so convoked that the term of office of the members of the Diet may not expire during the ordinary session.

Article 3. The demand for convocation of an extraordinary session shall be submitted in writing to the Cabinet jointly by one-fourth or more of all the members of either House, through the President of their House.

Article 4. The demand for an emergency session of the House of Councillors shall be made to the President of the House by the Prime Minister, setting the date for assembling.

Artice 5. The members of the Diet shall assemble at their respective Houses on the date designated by the Imperial rescript.

Article 6. Each House shall elect both or either one of its President and Vice President if those posts are vacant, on the date of assembling.

Article 7. Pending the election of the President and Vice President, the Secretary-General shall perform the functions of the President.

Article 8. The Opening Ceremony shall be held at the beginning of a session.

Article 9. The Opening Ceremony shall be presided over by the President of the House of Representatives. In case the President of the House of Representatives is incapacitated, the President of the House of Councillors shall preside.

Chapter II. Term of Session and Recess

Article 10. The term of an ordinary session shall be one hundred and fifty (150) days.

Article 11. The term of an extraordinary session, or of a special session, shall be determined by a concurrent vote of both Houses.

Article 12. The term of a session of the Diet may be extended when both Houses agree by their concurrent vote.

Article 13. In case the two Houses fall to agree on the matter under the two preceding Articles, the decision of the House of Representatives shall prevail.

Article 14. The term of a session of the Diet shall be counted as from the date of convocation.

Article 15. Recess of the Diet shall require a concurrent decision of both Houses. Each House may decide upon its own recess for a period not exceeding seven (7) days. Even during the recess of the Diet or a House, a plenary session of a House may be called for when the President of the House deems it urgent, or when one-fourth or more of the total members of the House demands it.

Chapter III. Officers and Expenditures

Article 16. The officers of each House shall be as follows: (1) President (2) Vice President (3) President protem (4) Chairmen of Standing Committees (5) Secretary-General

Article 17. There shall be one President and one Vice President for each House.

Article 18. The term of office for the President and the Vice President of each House shall coincide with their respective term of office as a Diet member.

Article 19. The President of each House shall maintain order in the House, adjust its proceedings, supervise the affairs of the House and represent the House.

Article 20. The President may attend and address Committee meetings.

Article 21. In case the President is incapacitated or the post is vacant in either House, the Vice President shall perform the functions of the President.

Article 22. In case both the President and the Vice President are incapacitated in either House, a President pro tempore shall be elected to perform the functions of the President. The House may entrust the President with the nomination of the President pro tempore.

Article 23. In case the post of the President or the Vice President becomes vacant or both posts are vacant in either House, it shall immediately conduct an election to fill the same.

Article 24. In case of the election of President pro tempore and in case there is none to perform the functions of the President in the election mentioned in the preceding Article, the Secretary-General shall perform the functions of the President.

Article 25. Chairmen of the Standing Committees shall be elected in each House from among the members of each Standing Committee.

Article 26. Each House shall have one Secretary-General, secretaries and other necessary personnel.

Article 27. The Secretary-General shall be elected in each House from among those other than members of the Diet. The secretaries and other personnel shall be appointed or dismissed by the Secretary-General with the consent of the respective President.

Article 28. The Secretary-General shall, under the direction of the President, administer the affairs of the House, and sign official documents. The secretaries shall, under the order of the Secretary-General, dispatch business.

Article 29. In case the Secretary-General is incapacitated or the post is vacant, the previously designated Secretary shall perform the functions of the Secretary-General.

Article 30. The officers may resign with the permission of the House. During an adjournment, the permission for resignation of the officers may be given by the President.

Article 31. The officers shall not hold concurrently a government official post.

Article 32. The expenditures of both Houses shall be appropriated independently in the national budget. The above appropriation shall include a contingent fund.

Chapter IV. Members of the Diet

Article 33. Members of each House shall not be arrested without the consent of their respective Houses during the term of session, unless they are apprehended while committing a crime outside the Diet.

Article 34. During an emergency session of the House of Councillors, members of the House of Councillors shall not be arrested without the consent of the House, unless they are apprehended while committing a crime outside the Diet. Any members of the House of Councillors, arrested before the opening of an emergency session of the House of Councillors, shall be freed during the term of the session, upon demand of the House.

Article 35. The members of the Diet shall receive an annual payment not less in amount than the highest pay for government officials in general.

Article 36. The Diet members shall be given a retirement allowance, according to the provisions separately made.

Article 37. The Diet members may travel freely on the state railways during session or on official business, according to the regulations separately made.

Article 38. The Diet members shall receive allowances as fixed separately for posting official documents or for communications of official character during the term of session.

Article 39. Diet members shall not, during the term in which they are elected, be appointed officials of the Government or a local public entity, unless such an appointment is provided for by law. Diet members shall not, during the term in which they are elected, be appointed any members of committees, advisers, non-official staff (Shokutaku), or engage in other similar occupations under the various administrative branches of the Government, unless such an appointment is fixed by law or provided for by the decision of the Diet.

Chapter V. Committees and Their Members

Article 40. Members of Committees in each House shall be members of Standing Committees and Special Committees.

Article 41. Standing Committee members shall be elected and appointed by each House at the beginning of a session and they shall serve during the term of their office as Diet members. Any members shall serve on at least one Standing Committee but can not become members of more than three Standing Committees at the same time.

Article 42. Standing Committees of each House shall be as follows, and they shall examine the bills, petitions, representations, and others, which come under their respective spheres of work. 1. Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs. 2. Standing Committee for Public Safety and Local Government. 3. Standing Committee for National Land Planning. 4. Standing Committee for judicial Affairs. 5. Standing Committee for Educational Affairs. 6. Standing Committee for Culture. 7. Standing Committee for Public Welfare. 8. Standing Committee for Labour. 9. Standing Committee for Agriculture and Forestry. 10. Standing Committee for Fishery. 11. Standing Committee for Commerce. 12. Standing Committee for Mining and Industry. 13. Standing Committee for Electricity. 14. Standing Committee for Transportation. 15. Standing Committee for Communications. 16. Standing Committee for Finance. 17. Standing Committee for Budgets. 18. Standing Committee for Audit. 19. Standing Committee for House Management. 20. Standing Committee for Library Management. 21. Standing Committee for Disciplinary Measures. Either House may increase or decrease or annex the Standing Committees mentioned in the preceding paragraph on the advice of the Legislative Committee of the Houses.

Article 43. Each Standing Committee shall have at least two officials who, not being Diet members, have special knowledge (to be called qualified specialists), as well as adequate number of secretarial assistants. They will be permanent staff. However, any qualified specialists and secretarial assistants shall not be appointed in case the House deems them unnecessary. The qualified specialists mentioned above shall receive an adequate amount of allowance and shall not have any other occupations concurrently. They cannot occupy any post in the administrative branches of the Government, for two (2) years after their resignation from the Committee.

Article 44. A Standing Committee of one House may hold a joint hearing with a Committee in the other House if they so agree.

Article 45. Members of a Special Committee shall be elected by each House in order to examine a specially designated matter which does not come under jurisdiction of the Standing Committees, and they shall serve until the matter they are entrusted with is decided upon by the House. The Chairman of a Special Committee shall be elected by mutual vote from among the Committee members.

Article 46. Members of Standing Committees and those of Special Committees shall be selected, being allotted to parties in proportion to the numbers of members of the House belonging to them.

Article 47. Standing Committees and Special Committees shall examine the matters entrusted with, only during the term of session. Standing Committees and Special Committees may examine the matters especially entrusted with by the decision of each House, even during adjournment.

Article 48. The Chairman of each Committee shall adjust its proceedings and maintain order in the Committee.

Article 49. A Committee may not open deliberation and transact business unless attended by a half or more of its members.

Article 50. The proceeding of a Committee shall be decided by a majority of the members present. In case of a tie, the Chairman shall make a decision.

Article 51. A Committee may conduct open hearings on important questions of popular concern or public interest, and hear the views of the interested parties or persons of learning and experience. Open hearings mentioned in the preceding paragraph must be held on the general budget and important bills concerning revenue.

Article 52. A Committee may be attended by persons authorized by the Chairman, besides the members of the Diet. However, a Committee may hold secret meetings, if it so decides. The Chairman of a committee may order the audience to leave the meeting, for the maintenance of order.

Article 53. The Chairman shall report the proceedings and results of his Committee to the House.

Article 54. A minority opinion that was rejected in a Committee may be reported to the House by those who are of the minority opinion, following the Chairman's report. The President may limit time for the report of the minority opinion. When those who are of the minority opinion present to the President an adequate summary of the report of their opinion it shall be entered in the Record of Proceedings, together with the committee's report.

Chapter VI. Plenary Sessions

Article 55. The President of each House shall fix the calendar of proceedings and give an advance notice of the same to the House.

Article 56. Any member may introduce a bill. When a bill is introduced, the President shall entrust an appropriate Committee with the bill or proposal and, after the examination by the Committee, put it to the debate in the plenary session. However, when considered urgent, the examination of the Committee may be omitted by a decision of the House. Bills or proposals which the Committee decided unnecessary to submit to the House shall not be laid before a meeting of the House. However, when demanded by twenty (20) or more Diet members in seven days (not counting the period of recess) from the date of a decision of the Committee, they must be submitted to a plenary session of the House. In case no such demand is made as provided for in the preceding paragraph, the bills or proposals become null and void. The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs shall not apply to the bills transmitted from the other House.

Article 57. Motions for amendment to any bill, in order to be placed on the agenda, shall require the support of twenty (20) or more members.

Article 58. When the Cabinet submitted a bill to one House, it must send the same Bill to the other House for preliminary examination within five (5) days from the day of submission.

Article 59. The Cabinet must not amend or withdraw a bill already on the agenda of a meeting of a House or a committee unless consent is given by the House.

Article 60. With regard to a bill introduced by one House, the Chairman (or his proxy) of a comittee to which the bill is referred to or its proposer may explain the bill in the other House.

Article 61. The President of each House may limit time for questioning debate or other utterances, unless otherwise decided by the House. The unfinished part of a member's speech owing to the time limit may be entered in the Record of Proceedings to such an extent as may be considered suitable by the President, unless otherwise decided by the House.

Article 62. When a motion is made by the President, or by ten (10) or more members, the proceedings of each House may be closed to the public according to a decision by two-thirds or more of the members present.

Article 63. Parts of the Record of Proceedings of a secret session which have been voted upon as specially requiring secrecy by the House may not be made public.

Article 64. In case the post of Prime Minister has become vacant or the Prime Minister has tendered has resignation, the Cabinet shall immediately so notify both Houses.

Article 65. With regard to bills requiring the decisions of both Houses, when both Houses passed them or the decision of the House of Representatives became the final decision of the Diet, the bills which require promulgation shall be tendered to the Throne through the Cabinet by the President of the House of Representatives and the other bills shall be sent to the Cabinet. The designation of the Prime Minister shall be communicated to the Throne by the President of the House of Representatives through the Cabinet.

Article 66. A law shall be promulgated within thirty (30) days from the day of its submission to the Throne.

Article 67. Any special law applicable only to one local public entity, in case it has been approved by the Diet, shall be submitted to the vote of the people of the local public entity concerned, as provided separately by law, and when approved by the majority of the voters of that local public entity, shall definitively become a law.

Article 68. Any matter which has not been decided during a session shall not be continued to the subsequent session.

Chapter VII, Ministers of State and Representatives of the Government

Article 69. The Cabinet may, with the approval of the Presidents of the Houses, appoint representatives of the Government to assist Ministers of State in the Diet.

Article 70. A Minister of State and a representative of the Goverement, when desiring to speak at a meeting of the Houses or of a Committee, shall notify the President or the Chairman of a Committee concerned.

Article 71. A Committee may, through the President, request the presence of a Minister of State or a representative of the Government.

Article 72. A Committee may, through the President, ask for the presence of the President of Board of Audit and the auditors and hear their explanations.

Article 73. Reports concerning the proceedings of the Diet and those concerning Committee Meetings shall, simultaneously with their distribution to the Members, be delievered to Ministers of State and representatives of the Government.

Chapter VIII. Interpellations and Free Discussions

Article 74. When a member of each House wants to interpellate the Cabinet, he shall obtain the approval of the President. A brief statement of the purport of an interpellation shall be presented to the President. When a member raises objection to the President's disapproval of his interpellation, the President must put it to deliberation of the House whether the House approves the interpellation or not. The President shall have entered in the Record of Proceedings a brief statement of the purport of a member's interpellation which the President or the House has disapproved, when demanded by that member.

Article 75. The President of each House shall transmit to the Cabinet a brief statement of the purport of an interpellation which he or the House has approved. The Cabinet shall make a reply within seven days from the date of receiving a brief statement of the purport of an interpellation. When a reply is not made within the specified period, the reason therefor shall be clearly stated.

Article 76. When an interpellation is urgent, it may orally be made when the House so decides.

Article 77. The Cabinet reply to an it terpellation may be put to a debate by a member's motion and may likewise be put to the vote of the House.

Article 78. Either House of the Diet shall meet at least once in two weeks, in order to give an opportunity to the Members to conduct free discussions on national affairs. A subject under free discussions may be put to the vote of the House in accordance with a member's motion. The time-limit for a speech at free discussions shall be decided by the President, unless otherwise decided by the House.

Chapter IX. Petitions

Article 79. Any person desiring to make a petition to either House shall present a written petition with the introduction of a Diet member.

Article 80. Adoption of a petition shall be decided upon by either House after examination by the Committee concerned. A petition which the Committee decided it unnecessary to submit to the House shall not be laid before a meeting of the House. However, a petition requested by twenty (20) or more members of the House to be placed for discussion shall be laid before a meeting of the House.

Article 81. Petitions which have been adopted by either House and which the House deems it appropriate for the Cabinet to deal with shall be transmitted to the Cabinet. The Cabinet shall, every year, report to the House concerned the particulars of the disposal of the petitions mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Article 82. Either House shall separately receive petitions, and shall not interfere with the other House.

Chapter X. Relations between Two Houses

Article 83. When a matter requiring a decision of the Diet has been passed or amended by the House A, the said matter shall be transmitted to the House B, and when such matter has been rejected by the House A, the fact of rejection shall be notified to the House B. When the House B has agreed to, or rejected, the matter transmitted from the House A, the fact of agreement or rejection shall be notified to the House A. When the House B has amended the matter transmitted from the House A, the said matter shall be referred to the House A. When the House A has agreed, or has not agreed, to the matter referred thereto by the House B, the fact of agreement or disagreement shall be notified to the House B.

Article 84. When the House of Representatives has not agreed to a legislative bill referred thereto by the House of Councillors, or when the House of Councillors has rejected a legislative bill transmitted thereto from the House of Representatives or has not agreed to a legislative bill referred thereto by the House of Representatives, the House of Representatives may request a meeting of a Joint Committee of both Houses. The House of Councillors, only when it has not agreed to a bill referred thereto by the House of Representatives, may request, simultaneously with its notification of disagreement, a meeting of the Joint Committee of the Houses, in spite of the provision of the preceding paragraph. However, the House of Representatives may refuse the abovementioned request for a meeting of the joint Committee of the Houses.

Article 85. In connection with Budget Estimates or treaties requiring prior consideration by the House of Representatives, when the House of Representatives has not agreed to a matter referred thereto by the House of Councillors, or when the House of Councillors has rejected a matter transmitted thereto from the House of Representatives, the House of Representatives shall request a meeting of a joint Committee of both Houses. In connection with treaties receiving prior consideration by the House of Councillors, when the House of Councillors has not agreed to a matter referred thereto by the House of Representatives, or when the House of Representatives has rejected a matter transmitted thereto from the House of Councillors, the House of Councillors shall request a meeting of a Joint Committee of both Houses.

Article 86. When either House has decided upon the nomination of the Prime Minister, the fact shall be notified to the other House. When both Houses do not agree in deciding upon the nomination of the Prime Minister, the House of Councillors shall request a meeting of a Joint Committee of both Houses.

Article 87. With the exception of those provided for in the preceding three Articles, in connection with matters requiring to be decided upon by the Diet, when the House exercising posterior consideration does not agree to the decision of the House exercising prior consideration, the House exercising prior consideration may request a meeting of a Joint Committee of both Houses.

Article 88. When either House has requested a meeting of a Joint Committee of both Houses, the other House shall not refuse, except under Proviso to Article 84, par.2.

Article 89. A Joint Committee of both Houses shall consist of twenty members, of whom each House shall respectively elect ten members.

Article 90. A meeting of a Joint Committee of both Houses shall be presided over, by rotation for each different meeting, by a Chairman elected by, and from among Joint Committee-men of either House. A Chairman for the initial meeting shall be chosen by lottery.

Article 91. A meeting of a Joint Committee of both Houses shall not open proceedings and make any decision unless two-thirds or more of Joint Committee-men respectively of the two Houses are present.

Article 92. In the Joint Committee of the Houses, a draft becomes definitive when it has been decided upon by a majority of two-thirds or more of the Joint Committee-men present. The proceedings of a Joint Committee of both Houses shall, except as provided for in the preceding paragraph, be determined by a majority of the members of the Joint Committee present;and when the affirmative and the negative votes are the same in number, the decision shall be made by the Chairman.

Article 93. A definitive draft prepared by a joint Committee of both Houses shall first be considered by the House which requested its meeting, and then be transmitted to the other House. No definitive draft shall be subject to any further amendment.

Article 94. When a definitive draft can not be concluded by a Joint Committee of both Houses, the Chairman of the Joint Committee of each House shall so notify his House.

Article 95. The President of either House may be present at a meeting of a Joint Committee of both Houses and express his view.

Article 96. A Joint Committee of both Houses may request the presence at its meeting of Ministers of State and representatives of the Government.

Article 97. No outsider shall be permitted to attend a meeting of a joint Committee of both Houses.

Article 98. Rules concerning a joint Committee of both Houses other than those provided for in this Law shall be prescribed by decision of the two Houses.

Chapter XI. Legislative Committee of both Houses

Article 99. The legislative Committee of both Houses shall make recommendations to the both Houses and the Cabinet with regards to the introduction of new legislations, existing laws and executive orders and regulations, and it shall also investigate and research the Diet Law and other regulations of the Houses and, as to their revisions, make recommendations to both Houses.

Article 100. The Legislative Committee shall consist of eighteen (18) members of whom the House of Representatives shall elect ten (10) and the House of Councillors elect eight (8). The Chairman of the Committee shall be elected from among its members by mutual vote. The term of offices of the Committee members shall be the same with that of the members of the Houses.

Article 101. The Legislative Committee can not hold a meeting while the Diet is not in session, unless otherwise decided by the Houses.

Article 102. Other provisions for the Legislative Committee, besides the preceding Articles, shall be decided by both Houses.

Chapter XII. The Relations between the Houses, and the General Public and the Public Offices

Article 103. Each House may despatch its members for the purpose of examination or investigation.

Article 104. The Cabinet, the Government or public offices must comply with the request of each House for submitting necessary reports or documents for the purpose of investigation.

Article 105. The Cabinet or Ministries shall send their publications to the Diet Library. The Committee for Library Management may cause the Cabinet or Ministries to send the publications to the Diet Members, when deemed necessary.

Article 106. Each House shall provide a witness with travelling expenses and day allowance according to the regulations provided for separately when he is called up to the House for the purpose of examining bills and other matters or investigating national affairs.

Chapter XIII. Resignation, Retirement, Filling Vacancies and Litigation for Qualifications

Article 107. Each House can authorize the resignations of its members. However, when the House is in adjournment, the President of the House can do it.

Article 108. A member becomes retired when he becomes a member of the different House or when he is appointed to a post which he can not occupy concurrently according to laws.

Article 109. A member becomes retired when he loses the legal qualifications to be elected.

Article 110. When a vacancy occurs, the President of the House concerned, shall so notify the Minister for Home Affars.

Article 111. When a litigation is brought up on a member's qualifications, the House concerned shall make a resolution after the committee's examination is finished. The litigation abovementioned shall be brought up to the President in written document by a member of the House concerned.

Article 112. A member, when an litigation for qualifications has been brought against him, may employ one or two consels. One of the consels is employed at national expense.

Article 113. A member shall not lose his membership and authority connected with it in the House until he has been disqualified. However, a member can defend himself but can not vote in a meeting where a litigation for his qualifications is pending.

Chapter XIV. Discipline and the Police

Article 114. In order to maintain discipline during session, the President of each House shall exercise the police power within the Diet in accordance with this Law and the regulations stipulated by each House. The preceding paragraph shall apply mutatis mutaridis during an emergency session of the House of Councillors.

Article 115. The Cabinet shall dispatch upon the the request of the President police officers necessary for either House, which shall be superintended by the President.

Article 116. When in a plenary session a member acts contrary to this Law or rules of proceedings, makes disorderly conducts or injures the dignity of the House, the President shall watch or restrain him or make him retract his words. The President may stop his speech, when he does not obey the order of the President, until the day's meeting is over, or make him leave the Assembly Hall.

Article 117. The President may temporarily suspend or adjourn the meeting for the day, in case it becomes too disorderly to control.

Article 118. In case a stranger obstructs the progress of the business in the House, the President may make him leave the House or hand him over to the police office if necessary. The President may have all the strangers leave the House in case the strangers'gallery becomes disordered.

Article 119. There shall not be used insulting language or a speech on other's private affairs in the House.

Article 120. A member who was insulted in a plenary session or in a meeting of a committee by other members may appeal to the House for an action against them.

Chapter XV. Disciplinary Measures

Article 121. When a case for disciplinary measures occurs in the House, the President shall refer it to the Committee for Disciplinary Measures for examination, and pronounce the sentence passed by the House. When a disciplinary case occurs in a committee, the Chairman shall report it to the President for a necessary action. Members may move a motion for disciplinary measures with the support of twenty (20) or more members. This motion shall be presented within three (3) days after the disciplinary case occurred.

Article 122. Disciplinary measures shall be as follows: (1) Admonition in a meeting open to the public; (2) Address of apology in a meeting open to the public; (3) Suspension of attendance to the House for a certain period; (4) Expulsion.

Article 123. Both Houses can not refuse the attendance of the member who is reelected in spite of expulsion.

Article 124. The President shall refer to the Disciplinary Committee a case of a member who does not attend the House without justification within seven (7) days after the member received the invitation which the President specially sent to him because, (a) the member did not attend the Diet without a justifiable reason within seven (7) days from the date of convocation, (b) the member stayed away from a plenary session or a committee without a justifiable reason or, (c) the period of leave of absence expired.

Chapter XVI. Court of Impeachment

Article 125. Impeachment against Judges shall be conducted by the Court of Impeachment which is composed of judges elected respectively in the same number by each House from among its members. The Presiding Judge of the Court of Impeachment shall be elected by mutual vote from among the judges.

Article 126. Removal proceedings against Judges shall be instituted by the Proceedings Committee composed of its members elected from among the members of the House of Representatives. The Chairman of the Proceedings Committee shall be elected by mutual vote from among the Committee members.

Article 127. A Judge of the Court of Impeachment shall not become concurrently a member of the Proceedings Committee.

Article 128. When the judges are elected in each House and the Proceedings Committee members are elected in the House of Representatives, the reserve members shall be elected respectively.

Article 129. Matters relating to the Court of Impeachment and the Proceedings Committee, other than those provided for in this Law, shall be determined by law.

Chapter XVII. Diet Library&Members'Club

Article 130. In order to help members for investigations and researches, the Diet Library shall be established. The Diet Library may be used by the public.

Article 131. In order to expedite the drafting of legal measures by the members, each House shall have a legal department.

Article 132. In order to facilitate members'business the Members'Club shall be set up where officerooms and one clerical assistant for each member shall be provided for.