World Government 20g (Alternative)- Japan:
Japan's government has been described as "a Catholic imperial feudal democracy, with seasoning."
Starting in the early 17th century, exiled
Kirishitan (that is, Japanese Roman Catholics baptised by Portuguese Jesuits) daimyos in Macau were able to gather a rebellion that retook Kyushu, and which eventually toppled the short-reigned Tokugawa Shogunate. The Otomo Shogunate rejected the 1635 Sakoku Edict of foreign separation, and indeed pursued a policy of open trade in Asia and with European trading partners- particularly with the Dutch out of the Port of Hirado, the Portuguese at the Port of Nagasaki, and with the British, via the Port of Hakata, making Japan the dominant player in the Eastern seas up through to the mid 1700s.
To establish legitimacy for the newly revived Christian movement, in 1672,
Amakusa Shiro was installed as the Eastern Pope, in the Holy See of Nagasaki, effectively severing ties to the Roman Catholic papacy and setting Kirishitan Catholicism apart as a distinct branch of Christianity. Among the daimyos and the populace, this new religion did not gain dominance, but nestled in with Shinto and Buddhist worship without fully displacing them.
Jumping forward to the Meiji Restoration, enacted by the still-reigning Meiji Emperor, Emperor Mutsuhito, the Meiji Constitution enshrines the sovereignty of the Emperor as the divine sum of all the parts of the Empire, which are given voice in the Imperial Assembly, the
Teikoku Gikai. Seated in the capital Kyoto, it is a unicameral, quinpartite legislature, meaning five distinct voting councils convene together in plenary session.
The Five Councils of the Imperial Assembly are-
The Kazoku Kaigi- Council of Daimyos (with a full voting share)
The Shuugi Kaigi- Council of Representatives (one full share)
The Shinkou Kaigi- Council of Faiths (one full share)
The Chokunin Kaigi- Council of Imperial Appointees (a 3/4 share)
The Juuzokukoku Kaigi- Council of Dependent Territories (with a 1/4 voting share)
The Daimyo Kaigi- Council of Daimyos
Of the 200 daimyo in Japan, only 100 at a time sit in the Assembly for each 3-year term, rotating alternately. The two separate sessions are named the Spring Session and the Autumn Session-
Shundan and
Shuudan. Roughly 2/3rds identify as Kirishitan daimyo, the other 1/3 are syncretist Shinto-Buddhists, but they're aren't evenly split between the two sessions, so the nature of the council changes considerably between terms. Currently it is mid-way through the Kirishitan dominated Shundan Session.
The Shuugi Kaigi- Council of Representatives
These are democratically elected commoners from the 350 electoral districts across the country. They serve 4 year terms and must be aged 30 years or older, and can be summarily dismissed by the Emperor. This Council is dominated by the conservative Shinken Kesshinto Deep Determination Party, but the upcoming Shinkahenkato New Fire of Change Party and Rodo Minsha Worker's People's Association are also gaining popularity.
The Shinkou Kaigi- Council of Faiths
Currently afforded 120 seats by the Imperial Agency of Faiths, divided evenly with 40 seats each for representatives of the Shinto, Buddhist and Kirishitan priesthoods, who then individually determine a selection process for their representatives. Shinto proportionally sends members from the top
shrine networks according to their size. They attend session in full ceremonial garb, but out of deference to the divinity of the Emperor, abstain from speaking or voting. The Buddhist delegation rotates representation through its 56 branches by a form of lottery, but for the past 18 months have been only sending junior acolytes as a protest over some esoteric point of order. The Kirishitan delegation is filled by appointment by the Eastern Pope, and is mainly bishops and deacons from the 16 dioceses and arch-dioceses.
The Chokunin Kaigi- Council of Imperial Appointees
This is a mixture of representatives who are considered to have an important voice to contribute to the running of the Empire, and consists of politicians and statesmen, members of the Imperial household, favourites and confidants of the Emperor, doctors, academics, scientists, engineers, social philosophers, artists, writers and mercantile captains. The Imperial Academy has seven permanent seats, as does the George III Industrial College of Shimonoseki, while Edo, Waseda and Kyoto Universities hold two each. Appointments are by Imperial decree, usually chosen or advised by the Privy Council. Membership varies, but has edged up past 250 seats.
The Juuzokukoku Kaigi- Council of Dependent Territories
External territories also get representation in the Assembly, although whether those seats are filled by those states' nationals or Japanese varies.
Colonies have 5 voting seats each, being Okinawa, Philippines, Formosa, Manshu and the Korean Peninsula.
External holdings gain one seat each, including Indochina port and mining operations, the Kamchatka Territory, Shanghai holdings, the Ryukyu Islands, as well as sundry other minor territories, altogether close to 40 seats.
Note that the voting shares are distributed per Council, not per seat. That is, the 100 votes of the Daimyo Council have the equivalent weight as the 350 votes of the Representative Council. The Daimyo and the Kirishitan tend to vote in similar directions, so they form a de facto voting block. However, with only a small number of seats to the council, a single seat in the Council of Dependent Territories has a lot of weight, which is partly why the council gets such a low voting share.
Each member's vote is still counted independently towards a piece of legislature, with a different weighting determined by their member council, so the process of tallying votes can be complicated.
Cabinet positions are declared on three year terms and elected individually by a plenary session of the Assembly. The Daimyo/Kirishitan voting block is strong, so the Prime Minister position usually goes to a member of one of the three great Kirishitan Daimyo clans, the Otomo, Arima and Omura Han. The current Prime Minister is Lord Arima Masaaki of Hizen Province.
As for the Emperor, he is, "in robust and vigorous health," according to his attending squad of physicians and medical engineers. Due to diabetes and imminent renal failure, the 58 year-old Emperor is now confined to a burnished gold medical support wagon, on which he is wheeled around to various appointments and appearances so he can continue to fulfill his duties of state. The main capsule supports him in a semi-reclined posture, while technicians monitor an array of dials, gauges, flasks and filters built into its rear. There was a minor health scare earlier this year when a dialysis vessel exploded catastrophically during a meeting with the Thai Ambassador, but his principle physician predicts many years of active service to the Empire. "
Tenno Heika, Banzai! Amen!"