Documents with Commentaries Part 4 Deliberations in the Imperial Diet
On July 2, 1946, the FEC passed a policy decision entitled "Basic Principles for a New Japanese Constitution" which for the first time set forth the principles that should be included in the new Constitution. But it was based on "Reform of the Japanese Governmental System" (SWNCC 228) which the U.S. government had given to MacArthur six months earlier. There was a great deal of opposition to the Emperor system in the FEC, but eventually it was decided to follow SWNCC 228 and give the Japanese people the choice of "abolishing the Emperor system, or reforming it along more democratic lines."
While MacArthur had no objections to these principles, he had the public release of the "directive" suppressed because it would make the independent efforts of the Japanese people to reform their Constitution appear to have been forced by the Allied Powers.
| Actual Title of Source | Basic Principles for a New Japanese Constitution (FEC-031/19) |
|---|---|
| Date | 2 July, 1946 |
| Document Number | Records of the Far Eastern Commission, 1945-1952 Box No. 204 "Policy No. 12; Basic Principles for a New Japanese Constitution (FEC031/19, 1946.7.2)" <Sheet No. FEC(A)1022> |
| Repository (reproduction) | National Diet Library |
| Repository | U.S. National Archives & Records Administration (RG43) |
| Note | Microfiche |
| Actual Title of Source | From: GHQ SCAP Tokyo sgd MacArthur, To:War Department for WDSCA, nr Z 07139, dated 8 July 1946 [re Public Release of the FEC's Basic Principles for a New Japanese Constitution] |
|---|---|
| Date | 8 July, 1946 |
| Document Number | Records of the Far Eastern Commission, 1945-1952 Box No. 221 "Constitution of Japan Re; 1) Japanese Constitution 2) Review of the Constitution" <Sheet No. FEC(A)1241-1245> |
| Repository (reproduction) | National Diet Library |
| Repository | U.S. National Archives & Records Administration (RG43) |
| Note | Microfiche |
