Cabinet of Japan
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The Script error: No such module "Nihongo". is the chief executive body of the government of Japan. It consists of the prime minister, who is appointed by the Emperor after being nominated by the National Diet, in addition to up to nineteen other members, called ministers of state. The current cabinet, the Takaichi Cabinet, was formed on 21 October 2025 and is led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The country has had a Liberal Democratic minority government since 2025.
The prime minister is nominated by the National Diet, while the remaining ministers are appointed and dismissed by the prime minister. The Cabinet is collectively responsible to the National Diet and must resign if a motion of no confidence is adopted by the National Diet.
Appointment
Under the Constitution of Japan, Cabinet ministers are appointed after the selection of the prime minister. A majority of the Cabinet, including the prime minister, must be members of the National Diet, and all members must be civilians. Under the Cabinet Law, the number of Cabinet ministers (excluding the prime minister) must be fourteen or less, but this may be increased to nineteen if a special need arises. If the Cabinet collectively resigns, it continues to exercise its functions until the appointment of a new prime minister. While they are in office, legal action may not be taken against Cabinet ministers without the consent of the prime minister. The Cabinet must resign en masse in the following circumstances:
- When a motion of no confidence is adopted, or a vote of confidence defeated, by the House of Representatives, unless there is a dissolution of the house within ten days.
- Upon the first convocation of the National Diet after a general election to the House of Representatives (even if the same prime minister is to be re-elected and appointed, and every other minister is to be reappointed).
- When the position of prime minister becomes vacant, or the prime minister declares his intention to resign.
Powers
The Cabinet exercises two kinds of power. Some of its powers are nominally exercised by the Emperor with the binding "advice and approval" of the Cabinet. Other powers are explicitly vested in the Cabinet. Contrary to the practice in many constitutional monarchies, the Emperor is not even the nominal chief executive. Instead, the Constitution explicitly vests executive authority in the Cabinet. Hence, nearly all of the day-to-day work of governing is done by the Cabinet.
In practice, much of the Cabinet's authority is exercised by the prime minister. Under the Constitution, the prime minister exercises "control and supervision" over the executive branch, and no law or Cabinet order can take effect without the prime minister's countersignature (and the emperor's promulgation). While Cabinet Ministers in most other parliamentary democracies theoretically have some freedom of action (within the limits of cabinet collective responsibility), the Japanese Cabinet is effectively an extension of the prime minister's authority.
According to Article 75 of the Constitution, Ministers of State are not subject to legal action without the consent of the prime minister during their tenure of office.
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The Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kantei (Prime Minister's Office) is where the Cabinet is located.
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The 5–7 paulownia commonly used as the symbol of the prime minister, cabinet, as well as the government at large.
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The seal of the Cabinet
Powers exercised via the Emperor
- Promulgation of amendment of the constitution, laws, cabinet orders, and treaties
- Convocation of the National Diet
- Dissolution of the House of Representatives
- Proclamation of general elections to the National Diet
- Receiving of foreign ambassadors and ministers
- Conferring of honours
Explicit powers
- Execution of the law
- Conduct of foreign affairs
- Conclusion of treaties (with the consent of the National Diet).
- Administration of the civil service
- Drafting of the budget (which must be adopted by the National Diet)
- Adoption of cabinet orders
- Granting of general amnesty, special amnesty, commutation of punishment, reprieve, and restoration of rights
- Signing of laws or cabinet orders by the relevant Minister of State and countersigned by the Prime Minister
- Appointment of the associate justices of the Supreme Court of Japan (except for the Chief Justice, who is nominated by the Prime Minister and formally appointed by the Emperor)
- Appointment of vice-ministers (who are nominated by their respective minister to whom they will report)
List of cabinets of Japan
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Current Cabinet
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The current cabinet, led by the newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, was formed on 21 October 2025.
since 21 October 2025,[update]Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". the makeup of the most recent Cabinet is as follows:[1]
| File:Goshichi no kiri.svg 104th Cabinet of Japan Takaichi Cabinet | |||||
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Office(s) | Department | Took office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet ministers | |||||
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Takaichi Sanae 2025.jpg | Sanae Takaichi MR for Nara 2ndScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Prime Minister | Cabinet Office | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Hayashi yoshimasa.jpg | Yoshimasa Hayashi MR for Yamaguchi 3rdScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications | Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Hiroshi hiraguchi.jpg | Hiroshi Hiraguchi MR for Hiroshima 2ndScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of Justice | Ministry of Justice | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Official portrait of Toshimitsu Motegi 2024 (cropped).jpg | Toshimitsu Motegi MR for Ōita 3rdScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister for Foreign Affairs | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Satsuki Katayama.jpg | Satsuki Katayama MC for National PR blockScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of Finance Minister of State for Financial Services Ministr of in charge of reviewing special tax measures subsidies |
Ministry of Finance Financial Services Agency |
October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Yōhei Matsumoto 2019 (cropped).jpg | Yohei Matsumoto MR for Tokyo PR blockScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister in charge of Education Rebuilding |
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Takamaro Fukuoka (cropped).jpg | Kenichiro Ueno MR for Shiga 2nd districtScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Norikazu Suzuki 20161031.jpg | Norikazu Suzuki MR for Yamagata 2ndScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries | Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Ryōsei Akazawa 2025 (cropped).jpg | Ryosei Akazawa MR for Tottori 2ndScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Minister in charge of the Response to the Economic Impact Caused by the Nuclear Accident Minister for Green Transformation Minister in charge of Industrial Competitiveness Minister of State for the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation |
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Yasushi Kaneko 20211004.jpg | Yasushi Kaneko MR for Kumamoto 4thScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Hirotaka Ishihara 20211115.jpg | Hirotaka Ishihara MC for Kanagawa at-largeScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of the Environment Minister of State for Nuclear Emergency Preparedness |
Ministry of the Environment | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Shinjirō Koizumi 20250521 (cropped).jpg | Shinjirō Koizumi MR for Kanagawa 11thScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of Defense | Ministry of Defense | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Minoru Kihara 20230914.jpg | Minoru Kihara MR for Kumamoto 1stScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minister in charge of Mitigating the Impact of U.S. Forces in Okinawa Minister in charge of the Abduction Issue |
Cabinet Secretariat Cabinet Office |
October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Hisashi Matsumoto 20230922.jpg | Hisashi Matsumoto MR for Chiba 13thScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister for Digital Transformation Minister in charge of Administrative Reform Minister in charge of Civil Service Reform Minister in charge of Cybersecurity Minister of State for Regulatory Reform |
Digital Agency Cabinet Office |
October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Takao Makino.png | Takao Makino MC for Shizuoka at-largeScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of Reconstruction Minister in charge of Comprehensive Policy Coordination for Revival from the Nuclear Accident at Fukushima |
Reconstruction Agency | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:98 akama jirou.jpg | Jiro Akama MR for Kanagawa 14thScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission Minister in charge of Building National Resilience Minister in charge of Territorial Issues Minister of State for Disaster Management and Ocean Policy |
National Public Safety Commission Cabinet Office |
October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:20211006kikawada hitoshi.jpg | Hitoshi Kikawada MR for Saitama 3rdScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs | Cabinet Office | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Minoru Kiuchi 20241001.jpg | Minoru Kiuchi MR for Shizuoka 7thScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy | Cabinet Office | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" | | File:Kimi Onoda.jpg | Kimi Onoda MC for Okayama at-largeScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Minister in charge of Economic Security Minister in charge of the Foreign Nationals policy |
Cabinet Office | October 21, 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
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See also
- Cabinet Office
- List of female cabinet ministers of Japan
- Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kantei (Prime Minister's Office of Japan)
- Politics of Japan
Citations
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General and cited references
- "Cabinet Profiles" [since 2008]. The Japan Times. Accessed 13 October 2012.
- Cabinet Secretariat, Office of Cabinet Public Relations, Japan (2003) prime minister of Japan and His Cabinet. Retrieved 28 Oct. 2003
- Hunter, Janet (1984). Concise Dictionary of Modern Japanese History. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, pp. 266–324, Appendix 5: Japanese Cabinets Since the Introduction of the Cabinet System in 1885 [to 1980].
External links
- Official Website of the prime minister of Japan and His Cabinet
- List of successive Japanese cabinets (in Japanese)
- Previous Cabinets (Since 1996) and list of previous prime ministers (Since 1885) Template:In lang
- Cabinet Office
- Cabinet Secretariat Template:In lang
- Cabinet Legislation Bureau
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