The Constitution of Japan : A Documentary History of Its Framing and Adoption, 1945-1947

The Constitution of Japan was framed, adopted, and promulgated in 1946.

It took effect on May 3, 1947. This collection presents more than five hundred documents, the electronic equivalent of 8,000 pages of material, that chronicle some of the most interesting events in constitutional history.

This CD-ROM makes possible an understanding of the interactions between Americans and Japanese that led to the final text--a constitution that remains in force to this day, without amendment.

Many of these documents have never before been published.

Transcripts of debates in the Japanese Diet make up about two-thirds of the material.

The collection also include translations and annotations of other documents from the archives of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, from the National Diet Library, and from diaries and memoirs of leading Japanese participants in these events.

These materials will allow Americans to see how this historic event looked from various Japanese perspectives.

In addition, scholars of constitutional development who do not read Japanese will find this electronic material particularly valuable. The collection is supplemented by a detailed chronology and an introductory essay by each editor, the first being a narrative of the Occupation by Ray Moore; and the second, a commentary by Donald Robinson, which places the Constitution of Japan in the context of the origins of other constitutions. System Requirements: 386 PC or higher. DOS 5.0 or later, or Windows 3.1 or later. 12 MB of RAM (16 MB recommended). Hard disk drive with at least 24 MB free. CD-ROM drive.