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 | El SalvadorReviewed | JapanReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Civil law with common-law influence |
| System of government | Unitary presidential republic | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of El Salvador | Constitution of Japan |
| In force since | 1983 | 1947 |
| Capital | San Salvador | Tokyo |
| Official languages | Spanish | Japanese |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) | Japanese Yen (JPY) |
| Population | 6,300,000 | 123,500,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary, with 14 departments. A 2023 reform cut municipalities from 262 to 44 and the Legislative Assembly from 84 seats to 60. | 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 | A bill is approved by simple majority of elected deputies unless a qualified majority is specified. The President may veto or return a bill as unconstitutional; if the Assembly insists by two-thirds and the President still objects on constitutional grounds, the Supreme Court decides. | 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 | The Supreme Court itself authorises the exercise of the profession and holds disciplinary power, so a lawyer's licence can be suspended by the court rather than by a bar. Notarial function is granted separately, also by the Supreme Court. | 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.