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 | BrazilReviewed | JapanReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Civil law with common-law influence |
| System of government | Federal presidential republic | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil | Constitution of Japan |
| In force since | 1988 | 1947 |
| Capital | Brasília | Tokyo |
| Official languages | Portuguese | Japanese |
| Currency | Brazilian Real (BRL) | Japanese Yen (JPY) |
| Population | 217,000,000 | 123,500,000 |
| Division of powers | Presidentialism with a bicameral Congress and an assertive judiciary; the STF hears direct actions of unconstitutionality brought by defined institutional applicants. | 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 | Bills pass both chambers, with the initiating chamber reviewing amendments; the President may veto in whole or part, and Congress may override in joint session. | 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 | Law graduates must pass the OAB examination; membership of the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil is mandatory to practise. | 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.