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 | GermanyReviewed | JapanReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Civil law with common-law influence |
| System of government | Federal parliamentary republic | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Grundgesetz (Basic Law) | Constitution of Japan |
| In force since | 1949 | 1947 |
| Capital | Berlin | Tokyo |
| Official languages | German | Japanese |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) | Japanese Yen (JPY) |
| Population | 84,400,000 | 123,500,000 |
| Division of powers | Rechtsstaat separation of powers with an unusually strong Federal Constitutional Court that can annul statutes and hear individual constitutional complaints. | 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 originate with the government, Bundestag or Bundesrat, pass three readings in the Bundestag, then require Bundesrat consent or non-objection; a mediation committee resolves deadlock. | 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 | Two state examinations plus a two-year Referendariat produce the unified jurist qualified as Rechtsanwalt, judge, prosecutor or notary. | 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.