The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Asia
Judicial branch Japan, in 36 editions.
The entry for Japan published Judicial branch in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 11 editions. Each is shown as published. Judicial branch in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 11
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Judicial branch” (1990 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Changed since 2024Supreme Court Chief of State--Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989); Head of Government--Prime Minister Toshiki KAIFU (since 9 August 1989)
Supreme Court Chief of State--Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989); Head of Government--Prime Minister Toshiki KAIFU (since 9 August 1989)
- Supreme Court Chief of State--Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989);
- Head of Government--Prime Minister Kiichi MIYAZAWA (since 5 November 1991) Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Toshiki KAIFU, president;
- Keizo OBUCHI, secretary general;
- Japan Socialist Party (JSP), T. DOI, chairman;
- Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), Keigo OUCHI, chairman;
- Japan Communist Party (JCP), K. MIYAMOTO, Presidium chairman;
- Komeito (Clean Government Party, CGP), Koshiro ISHIDA, chairman
Rewritten: too little of the 1990 text remains to mark the changes.
Supreme Court Chief of State--Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989); Head of Government--Prime Minister Kiichi MIYAZAWA (since 5 November 1991) Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Toshiki KAIFU, president; Keizo OBUCHI, secretary general; Japan Socialist Party (JSP), T. DOI, chairman; Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), Keigo OUCHI, chairman; Japan Communist Party (JCP), K. MIYAMOTO, Presidium chairman; Komeito (Clean Government Party, CGP), Koshiro ISHIDA, chairman
The same text in 4 editions, 1992 to 1995.
Supreme Court
Rewritten: too little of the 1991 text remains to mark the changes.
Supreme Court
The same text in 3 editions, 1996 to 1998.
Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the emperor after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are appointed by the cabinet
Supreme Court Court, chief justice is appointed by the
emperor after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are
appointed by the cabinet
Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are appointed by the cabinet
Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by theemperor monarch after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are
appointed by the cabinet
Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are appointed by the cabinet
Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the
The same text in 12 editions, 2001 to 2012.
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)
Supreme Court, chief Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet, cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet cabinet)
The same text in 2013 and 2014.
- highest court(s):
Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices)
note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch;
- associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch;
- all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum at the first general election of the House of Representatives following each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
- subordinate courts:
- 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho);
- 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches;
- 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
Rewritten: too little of the 2012 text remains to mark the changes.
highest court(s):
Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices)
note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
judge selection and term of office:
Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch; associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch; all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum at the first general election of the House of Representatives following each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
subordinate courts:
8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho); 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches; 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
The same text in 3 editions, 2015 to 2017.
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch;
- associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch;
- all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum at the first general election of the House of Representatives following each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
- subordinate courts:
- 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho);
- 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches;
- 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
highest court(s):justices)justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
judge selection and term of office:
subordinate courts:
The same text in 4 editions, 2018 to 2021.
- highest courts:
- Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch;
- associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch;
- all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum at the first general election of the House of Representatives following each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
- subordinate courts:
- 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho);
- 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches;
- 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
highest court(s): courts: Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch; associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch; all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum at the first general election of the House of Representatives following each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
subordinate courts: 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho); 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches; 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
The same text in 3 editions, 2022 to 2024.
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch;
- associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch;
- all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum at the first general election of the House of Representatives following each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
- subordinate courts:
- 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho);
- 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches;
- 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
highest courts: court(s): Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch; associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch; all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum at the first general election of the House of Representatives following each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
subordinate courts: 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho); 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches; 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch;
- associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch;
- all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum during the first general election of the House of Representatives after each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
- subordinate courts:
- 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho);
- 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches;
- 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
note: the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues justices)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch; associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch; all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum at during the first general election of the House of Representatives following after each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
subordinate courts: 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho); 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches; 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
note: the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Japan: Judicial branch.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/japan/judicial-branch.