Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
Select up to six documented jurisdictions
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| Attribute | BelgiumReviewed | JapanReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Civil law with common-law influence |
| System of government | Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Constitution of Belgium | Constitution of Japan |
| In force since | 1831 | 1947 |
| Capital | Brussels | Tokyo |
| Official languages | Dutch, French, German | Japanese |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) | Japanese Yen (JPY) |
| Population | 11,800,000 | 123,500,000 |
| Division of powers | Federal, alongside three Regions (Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels-Capital) and three Communities (Flemish, French, German-speaking). Regional decrees and community decrees have the same legal force as federal statute within their competences; there is no general federal supremacy clause. The Constitutional Court, not a hierarchy of norms, resolves conflicts of competence. | Parliamentary government with the Cabinet collectively responsible to the Diet, and a Supreme Court holding the final power of constitutional review. |
| How law is made | Most federal bills now follow a monocameral procedure in the Chamber of Representatives; the Senate intervenes only in the matters the Constitution reserves to bicameral treatment, such as constitutional revision and the institutional framework. The Council of State Legislation Section gives a prior opinion on drafts. A text is sanctioned and promulgated by the King and enters into force after publication in the Moniteur belge / Belgisch Staatsblad. | Most bills are Cabinet-sponsored, drafted by ministries and reviewed by the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, then passed by both houses; the lower house can override the upper by a two-thirds majority. |
| Legal profession | Advocaten and avocats are admitted to a local bar and organised in two federations, the OVB for Dutch-speaking and AVOCATS.BE for French and German-speaking members. Qualification requires a law degree, a three-year traineeship (stage) under a supervising lawyer, and bar examinations. Notaries and bailiffs are separate regulated professions with numerus clausus appointments. | Candidates pass the national bar examination, then complete a year at the Legal Training and Research Institute before qualifying as bengoshi, judge or prosecutor. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.