ABSTRACT
THE CONSTITUTION of Japan represents a compromise between the old monarchical traditions and the modern constitutionalism of the West.2 That is, the Constitution embodies in broad outline the foundations of Japanese national polity developed since the beginning of her history, colored by basic principles of modern constitutionalism. Hence, the fundamental characteristics of the Constitution may be comprehended under the following three heads: (1) monarchism, (2) constitutionalism, and (3) unitarism.3
