| Japan | GHQ, US Government and Others | ||
|---|---|---|---|
1946 |
1946 |
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| April 22 | Shidehara cabinet resigns en bloc. Privy Council convenes the first Examination Committee of the Privy Council on Draft for a Revised Constitution (meeting a total of eight times by May 15). |
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| April 23 | Shidehara appointed leader of the Progressive Party. | ||
| April 26 | Takano appointed President of NHK. | ||
| April 30 | Hatoyama determines the policy of forming a cabinet solely from the Liberal Party. | ||
| May 3 | Matsumoto announces in the Privy Council that "the government cannot amend the draft proposal." | May 3 | International Military Tribunal for the Far East convened with Tojo and 28 others indicted for Class A war crimes. |
| May 4 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs produces "International and Domestic Opinions on the Draft of the Constitution Revision (Second Report). " | May 4 | GHQ orders the government to remove Hatoyama from public office. |
| May 13 | FEC decides on "Criteria for the Adoption of a New Japanese Constitution" (the new Constitution is to be adopted through methods that clearly show the free will of the people, allowing adequate time and opportunity for deliberations, and assuring legal continuity from the Meiji Constitution). | ||
| May 14 | Yoshida accepts top position in Liberal Party. | ||
| May 16 | The 90th (extraordinary) session of the Imperial Diet convened (opening ceremony held June 20, and closing ceremony October 12). Shigeru Yoshida is ordered to set up a cabinet. | ||
| May 19 | Mayday for food supplies issued and the Placard Incident takes place. | ||
| May 20 | MacArthur states that, with regard to the Mayday for food supplies, "Demonstrations and disorders by mass mobs will not be permitted to continue. " | ||
| May 21 | GHQ issues "Memorandum on the Imperial Princes and Princesses and Their Property " (announced May 23). | ||
| May 22 | First Yoshida cabinet inaugurated; because of this the Draft for a Revised Constitution before the Privy Council is temporarily withdrawn. | ||
| May 24 | The Emperor, speaking on the food supply situation, records and broadcasts, "hope to overcome the scarcity of food through traditions of a national family." Cooperative Democratic Party founded with Sanehiko Yamamoto as its Chairman. |
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| May 27 | Japanese government makes minor amendments to "Draft for a Revised Constitution" and sends it back to the Privy Council. | ||
| May 29 | Privy Council reconvenes the Examination Committee on "Draft for a Revised Constitution" (which meets three times by June 3). Yoshida states that the revision bill can be amended by the Imperial Diet. | May 29 | Department of State sends MacArthur’s rejection of the FEC ’s April 10 decision back to the FEC. |
| June 1 | Association of Democratic Scientists holds its second meeting (which lasts until June 2). It makes a resolution that a special agency, not the Imperial Diet, should be established to examine constitutional revisions. | ||
| June 4 | FEC holds discussions on whether the Emperor system should be allowed to continue. | ||
| June 8 | Plenary meeting of the Privy Council votes overwhelmingly to pass the Draft for a Revised Constitution in the imperial presence (Minobe votes against). | ||
| June 9 | Lewis Valentine, "Report of the Metropolitan Police Planning Commission" is announced (recommending autonomous police forces should be established under local civil control). | ||
| June 11 | "US policy in Regard to the Adoption of a New Japanese Constitution"(SWNCC228/3) is approved (recommending the enactment of the Constitution through a constitutional convention or a referendum). | ||
| June 12 | Ordinance concerning the Punishment for Acts Prejudicial to the Occupation Objectives, etc. promulgated. | ||
| June 18 | In Washington, Joseph Keenan, Chief Prosecutor for the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, states that the Emperor is not to be prosecuted for war crimes. | ||
| June 19 | Kanamori appointed as Minister of State in charge of the constitutional problem. | ||
| June 20 | The 90th (extraordinary) session of the Imperial Diet opened (the Imperial Message for the opening ceremony is given in plain language for the first time). "Bill for Revision of the Imperial Constitution" (hereafter referred to as "Constitutional Revision Bill ") is submitted to the House of Representatives. | ||
| June 21 | MacArthur announces the FEC’s three criteria for the Constitution regarding the constitutional deliberations in the Diet. | ||
| June 22 | Charge of lese-majesty is brought against the suspect in the Placard Incident by Public Prosecutor of Tokyo. | ||
| June 25 | Constitutional Revision Bill brought up for discussion in the House of Representatives (the plenary session continues until June 28). | ||
| June 26 | First reading of the constitutional revisions done in the House of Representatives. Yoshida states before the House of Representatives that Article 9 intends renunciation of war even for self defense. | ||
| June 27 | Kanamori makes independent comments on the perception of the national polity ("Discourse on Adoration of the Emperor "). | ||
| June 28 | Nosaka raises questions to the House of Representatives on "Maintaining the right to self defense and renunciation of acts of aggressive war." House of Representatives sets up Committee on the Constitution Revision Bill and refers the Bill to it. Hitoshi Ashida appointed Chairman, and the Committee meets 21 times by August 21. Communist Party decides on the "Draft Constitution of the People’s Republic of Japan " (and announces it on June 29). |
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| July 2 | Hisao Kuroda states in the House of Representatives Committee on the Constitutional Revision Bill the "Necessity for the ideals of a social state and provisions for the right to live. " | July 2 | FEC passes "Basic Principles for a New Japanese Constitution" (such as sovereignty residing with the people, elimination or democratic reform of the Emperor system, and civilian ministers). |
| July 3 | emporary Committee for the Investigation of Legal Systems, and Judicial System Investigation Committee established. | ||
| July 6 | JCS orders MacArthur to carry out the July 2 decision by the FEC (MacArthur requests that the announcement of this decision be suppressed). | ||
| July 16 | Unanimous decision of a plenary session of the House of Representatives to adopt a resolution expressing gratitude to General MacArthur. Kenneth Colegrove, Political Consultant to GHQ, visits the Committee on the Constitutional Revision Bill and is welcomed by Ashida the chairman. |
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| July 17 | Kanamori meets with Kades at the official residence of the Prime Minister (where he receives suggestions related to the text of the Constitution clarifying such items as the sovereignty of the people). | ||
| July 23 | House of Representatives sets up a subcommittee (which meets 13 times between July 25 and August 20). | ||
| July 29 | Subcommittee proposes the so-called "Ashida Amendment " to Article 9. | ||
| August 10 | Educational Reform Committee established. | ||
| August 12 | Economic Stabilization Board set up. | ||
| August 15 | FEC determines that Japan’s courts do not hold civil or criminal jurisdiction over the citizens of countries that are members of the United Nations. | ||
| August 16 | Draft revisions of the subcommittee are nearly settled. | ||
| August 17 | Liberal Party voices opposition to the subcommittee’s proposed amendment on the property of the Imperial Household. Senzo Higai, President of the House of Representatives, brings the matter to Yoshida. | ||
| August 19 | MacArthur informs Yoshida that FEC requests the civilian ministers clause be added. | ||
| August 21 | House of Representatives Committee on the Constitutional Revision Bill accepts the collective revisions proposed by the subcommittee. Motion of no confidence submitted before a plenary session of the House of Representatives against the actions of President of the House of Representatives Higai. It is rejected the following day. |
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| August 23 | President of the House of Representatives Higai resigns (after which Takeshi Yamazaki assumes the office). | ||
| August 24 | Yukio Ozaki, in an address to a plenary session of the House of Representatives, states, "A good Constitution can be created easily, but its implementation is difficult." Amendments to the Constitutional Revision Bill are passed by a plenary session of the House of Representatives, and sent to the House of Peers. |
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| August 26 | Amended Constitutional Revision Bill is brought before a plenary session of the House of Peers (which stays in session until August 30). Miyazawa criticizes the explanation given by Kanamori about the problem of national polity and the Emperor before a plenary session of the House of Peers. |
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| August 27 | Shigeru Nambara criticizes the government’s revision process before a plenary session of the House of Peers. | ||
| August 28 | Frank McCoy, Chairman of the FEC, announces that the FEC should take part in the enactment of the laws appertaining to the Constitution. | ||
| August 30 | House of Peers sets up the Special Committee on the Constitution Revision Bill (Yoshishige Abe is appointed as Chairman, and the committee meets from September 2 to October 3). | ||
| September 21 | FEC discusses the problem of amending Article 9 and the civilian issue. | ||
| September 24 | Whitney visits Yoshida and directs him to add the universal suffrage system and the provision that all ministers of state should be civilians. | ||
| September 25 | FEC decides on additional measures regarding the constitutional problem (confirmation of the civilian issue, and the removal of supremacy of the House of Councillors over the House of Representatives). | ||
| September 26 | House of Peers sets up a subcommittee, which starts on September 28 and adopts amendments to the Constitutional Revision Bill on October 2. | ||
| September 27 | Labor Relations Adjustment Law promulgated. | ||
| October 3 | House of Peers Special Committee votes to accept the amendments of the Constitutional Revision Bill (including the universal suffrage system, the joint committee of both Houses, and the civilian ministers clause). | ||
| October 5 | Sasaki asserts overall opposition to the Constitutional Revision Bill before a plenary session of the House of Peers. | ||
| October 6 | House of Peers votes to accept the amendments to the Constitutional Revision Bill, and sends it to the House of Representatives. | ||
| October 7 | House of Representatives votes to accept the proposal from the House of Peers. | ||
| October 9 | GHQ states that the decision of the prosecutors to drop accusations against men charged with lese-majesty is a noteworthy application of the concept in the new Constitution. | ||
| October 12 | Closing ceremony of the 90th (extraordinary) session of the Imperial Diet. Amended Constitutional Revision Bill brought before the Privy Council (examination committee meets on October 19 and 21). |
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| October 16 | Emperor tells MacArthur that he is "overjoyed" with the enactment of the new Constitution. | ||
| October 17 | FEC decides on measures regarding reexamination of the Constitution after it has come into force. | ||
| October 21 | Amendments to the Agricultural Land Adjustment Law promulgated, Owner-Farmer Establishment Special Measures Law promulgated (Second Land Reform). | ||
| October 26 | Temporary Committee for the Investigation of Legal Systems reports its findings on proposals for fundamental laws. | ||
| October 29 | Privy Council meets in plenary session before the Emperor and votes to accept the Amended Constitutional Revision Bill unanimously (with the exception of two absent members one of whom was Minobe). The Emperor sanctions the constitutional revision. | ||
| November 1 | MacArthur sends his reply that he disagrees with the public announcement of the FEC ’s October 17 decision. | ||
| November 3 | Constitution of Japan is promulgated. The "Constitution of Japan Promulgation Commemoration Ceremony" held in the House of Peers. Mass rally commemorating the promulgation of the new Constitution held by Tokyo Metropolis. | November 3 | MacArthur presents his message to the people of Japan on the occasion of the promulgation of the Constitution of Japan. |
| November 4 | Ashida makes a speech on the radio about the new Constitution. | November 4 | Justin Williams, Chief, Legislative Division of Government Section, gives Yamazaki, President of the House of Representatives, suggestions comprising 11 principles necessary to be put in the Diet Law. |
| November 25 | The 91st (extraordinary) session of the Imperial Diet convened (opening ceremony held on November 26, and closing ceremony held on December 26). | ||
