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 | Holy See (Vatican City)Reviewed | JapanReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Canon law and civil law | Civil law with common-law influence |
| System of government | Ecclesiastical elective absolute monarchy | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Fundamental Law of Vatican City State | Constitution of Japan |
| In force since | 2023 | 1947 |
| Capital | Vatican City | Tokyo |
| Official languages | Italian, Latin | Japanese |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) | Japanese Yen (JPY) |
| Population | 800 | 123,500,000 |
| Division of powers | Power is concentrated in the Supreme Pontiff, exercised through the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State (legislative), the Governorate (executive) and the Vatican tribunals (judicial). | 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 | Laws are prepared by the Pontifical Commission and take effect with the Pope’s approval, published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis supplement. | 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 | Advocates are enrolled with the Vatican tribunals; canon lawyers (canonists) practise before ecclesiastical courts. | 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.