- Japan has a constitutional monarchy as its form of government.
- Constitutional monarchy means that the emperor possesses nominal power, while the prime minister acts as the head of government.
- The power of the emperor is limited, and the prime minister is responsible for running the government. This is achieved through the Emperor acting on the advice of a democratically elected parliament, or legislature, composed of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors.
- The monarchy is hereditary, and the emperor is considered a symbol of the state and unity of the people.
- The current emperor, Naruhito, ascended the throne in 2019 after his father, Akihito, abdicated.
- The Japanese monarchy has a long history, dating back to the 6th century AD, making it one of the oldest continuous monarchies in the world.