Diet Opening Anniversary

What Is the Diet Opening Anniversary?

November 29th is the "Diet Opening Anniversary" (Gikai Kaisetsu Kinenbi) in Japan. It marks November 29, 1890 (Meiji 23), when the first session of the Imperial Diet -- Japan's first parliament -- was opened. It was convened under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan, promulgated the previous year, and marks the starting point of parliamentary politics in Japan.

From the Constitution to the Opening of the Diet

In the Meiji era, calls for a national assembly grew, and Japan moved to establish a constitution and a parliament. The Constitution of the Empire of Japan was promulgated in 1889, and the first Imperial Diet opened in 1890, beginning a system in which laws and budgets were debated in parliament.

• Origin of the date: The first Imperial Diet opened on November 29, 1890
• Background: The promulgation of the Constitution of the Empire of Japan in 1889
• Structure: A bicameral system: an elected House of Representatives and a House of Peers made up of imperial family members, nobility, and others
• Today's Diet: After the war, it was succeeded by the National Diet of the House of Representatives and House of Councillors under the Constitution of Japan

Over 130 Years of Parliamentary Politics

The opening of the Imperial Diet is known as one of the earliest modern parliaments in Asia. At first, voting rights were limited to adult men who paid more than a certain amount in taxes, but suffrage expanded through later reforms, and the Diet was carried over into today's National Diet under the postwar Constitution of Japan. November 29th is a chance to trace the history of deciding things through discussion.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Tour the National Diet Building or read about how the Diet works
• Look through a bill that is in the news
• Read about the history of elections and voting rights
• Take a fresh look at how meetings are run at your workplace

The Origin of Deciding Things Through Discussion

A parliament is a place where people with different views talk things through and decide society's rules. November 29th is a day to reflect on the starting point of Japan's parliamentary politics and the meaning of discussion.