- Article 65:
- Executive power shall be vested in the Cabinet.
- Article 66:
- 1)
- The Cabinet shall consist of the Prime Minister,
who shall be its head, and other Ministers
of State, as provided for by law.
- 2)
- The Prime Minister and other Ministers of
State must be civilians.
- 3)
- The Cabinet shall, in the exercise of executive
power, be collectively responsible to the
Diet.
- Article 67:
- 1)
- The Prime Minister shall be designated from
among the members of the Diet by a resolution
of the Diet. This designation shall precede
all other business.
- 2)
- If the House of Representatives and the House
of Councillors disagree and if no agreement
can be reached even through a joint committee
of both Houses, provided for by law, or the
House of Councillors fails to make designation
within 10 days, exclusive of the period of
recess, after the House of Representatives
has made designation, the decision of the
House of Representatives shall be the decision
of the Diet.
- Article 68:
- 1)
- The Prime Minister shall appoint the Ministers
of State. However, a majority of their number
must be chosen from among the members of
the Diet.
- 2)
- The Prime Minister may remove the Ministers
of State as he chooses.
- Article 69:
- If the House of Representatives passes a
non-confidence resolution, or rejects a confidence
resolution, the Cabinet shall resign en masse,
unless the House of Representatives is dissolved
within 10 days.
- Article 70:
- When there is a vacancy in the post of Prime
Minister, or upon the first convocation of
the Diet after a general election of members
of the House of Representatives, the Cabinet
shall resign en masse.
- Article 71:
- In the cases mentioned in the two preceding
Articles, the Cabinet shall continue its
functions until the time when a new Prime
Minister is appointed.
- Article 72:
- The Prime Minister, representing the Cabinet,
submits bills, reports on general national
affairs and foreign relations to the Diet
and exercises control and supervision over
various administrative branches.
- Article 73:
- The Cabinet shall, in addition to other general
administrative functions, perform the following
functions:
- (1)
- Administer the law faithfully; conduct affairs
of state.
- (2)
- Manage foreign affairs.
- (3)
- Conclude treaties. However, it shall obtain
prior or, depending on circumstances sudsequent
approval of the Diet.
- (4)
- Administer the civil service, in accordance
with standards established by law.
- (5)
- Prepare the budget, and present it to the
cabinet orders in order to execute the provisions
of this Constitution and of the law. However,
it cannot include penal provisions in such
cabinet orders unless authorized by such
law.
- (6)
- Decide on general amnesty, special amnesty,
commutation of punishment, reprieve, and
restoration of rights.
- Article 74:
- All laws and cabinet orders shall be signed
by the competent Minister of State and countersigned
by the Prime Minister.
- Article 75:
- The Ministers of State shall not, during
their tenure of office, be subject to legal
action without the consent of the Prime Minister.
However, the right to take that action is
not impaired hereby.