Japanese Constitution

516 Words2 Pages

When the American people occupied Japan after World War II, they took it upon themselves to revise the Meiji Constitution and participate in nation building after the destruction of the war. However, when the staff went to revise the document, it ended up drafting an entirely new constitution, which came into effect on May 3, 1947. It has governed Japanese affairs ever since without any amendments or changes.
The Japanese Constitution has several chapters that each deal with different areas of the state. Specifically, chapter III relates to the rights of Japanese people. Article 26 states that "marriage shall be based on the consent of both parties and that the husband and wife will have equal rights as a unit." It also writes that, "laws will be enacted from the essential equality of the sexes."
The Constitution promised these rights for women because in 1887, during the Meiji restoration, laws were created that limited their abilities and freedoms. For example, they did not have the vote, they were still subordinate to their husbands, and could not be easily divorced. How...

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