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 | JapanReviewed | BrazilReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law with common-law influence | Civil law |
| System of government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy | Federal presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of Japan | Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil |
| In force since | 1947 | 1988 |
| Capital | Tokyo | Brasília |
| Official languages | Japanese | Portuguese |
| Currency | Japanese Yen (JPY) | Brazilian Real (BRL) |
| Population | 123,500,000 | 217,000,000 |
| Division of powers | Parliamentary government with the Cabinet collectively responsible to the Diet, and a Supreme Court holding the final power of constitutional review. | Presidentialism with a bicameral Congress and an assertive judiciary; the STF hears direct actions of unconstitutionality brought by defined institutional applicants. |
| How law is made | 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. | 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. |
| Legal profession | Candidates pass the national bar examination, then complete a year at the Legal Training and Research Institute before qualifying as bengoshi, judge or prosecutor. | Law graduates must pass the OAB examination; membership of the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil is mandatory to practise. |
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.