Documents with Commentaries Part 3 Formulation of the GHQ Draft and Response of the Japanese Government

3-25 Publication of Colloquially written Constitution Draft

 The "People's Language Movement" (represented by Professor Masatsugu Ando) was actively working towards simplifying the Japanese language and sent a written opinion titled "A Proposition on the Writing of Laws and Statutes" to Prime Minister Kijuro Shidehara. Taking advantage of this opportunity, they got the approval of both GHQ and the Cabinet on April 2, 1946, whereupon a draft of the Constitution was prepared that was written in terms that the average person could understand. The work was carried out in the utmost secrecy. The author Yuzo Yamamoto was called in and he wrote the preamble and a draft in ordinary language. Toshio Irie, Director General of the Bureau of Legislation, Tatsuo Sato, Vice Director General of the Bureau of Legislation, and Yoshifusa Watanabe, a Bureau of Legislation official used this draft for reference as they did the actual writing and finished the first draft on April 5. Then on April 16, Prime Minister Shidehara presented it to the Emperor to inform him that the Constitution would be written in ordinary language and that after the establishment of the Constitution other laws would also be so written. Following that the Draft for a Revised Constitution was announced on April 17.

• Next
• Back

Copyright©2003-2004 National Diet Library All Rights Reserved.

• Outline
  1. Outline Part 1 Military Defeat and Efforts to Reform the Constitution
  2. Outline Part 2 Creation of Various Proposals to Reform the Constitution
  3. Outline Part 3 Formulation of the GHQ Draft and Response of the Japanese Government
  4. Outline Part 4 Deliberations in the Imperial Diet
  5. Outline Part 5 Enactment of the Constitution of Japan
• Documents with Commentaries
  1. Documents with Commentaries Part 1 Military Defeat and Efforts to Reform the Constitution
  2. Documents with Commentaries Part 2 Creation of Various Proposals to Reform the Constitution
  3. Documents with Commentaries Part 3 Formulation of the GHQ Draft and Response of the Japanese Government
  4. Documents with Commentaries Part 4 Deliberations in the Imperial Diet
  5. Documents with Commentaries Part 5 Enactment of the Constitution of Japan
• Main Issues
  1. Popular Sovereignty and the Emperor System
  2. Renunciation of War
  3. Guarantees for Fundamental Human Rights
  4. A New Bicameral System
  5. Judicial Review of Constitutionality
  6. Local Self-Government
• Archives

• Historical Figures
• Glossary and Abbreviations
• List of Documents
• Chronological Table
• The Constitution and Other Documents
• Links
• Bibliography
• About This Site

• National Diet Library
• Gallery
• Site Map
• Top Page
• Japanese