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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.

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Comparison of selected legal systems
AttributeJapanReviewedNamibiaReviewedAustraliaReviewed
Legal familyCivil law with common-law influenceMixed Roman-Dutch and English common lawCommon law
System of governmentUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchySemi-presidential republicFederal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
ConstitutionConstitution of JapanConstitution of the Republic of NamibiaCommonwealth of Australia Constitution Act
In force since194719901901
CapitalTokyoWindhoekCanberra
Official languagesJapaneseEnglishEnglish
CurrencyJapanese Yen (JPY)Namibian dollar (NAD)Australian Dollar (AUD)
Population123,500,0002,600,00026,800,000
Division of powersParliamentary government with the Cabinet collectively responsible to the Diet, and a Supreme Court holding the final power of constitutional review.Unitary with 14 administrative regions and elected regional councils, which also constitute the National Council, the upper chamber. Traditional authorities exercise recognised functions over communal land and customary law.Chapter III strictly separates federal judicial power; the High Court polices the boundary and may invalidate legislation for exceeding it.
How law is madeMost 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 the National Assembly through three readings, then go to the National Council for review. The Council may confirm, propose amendments, or object; the Assembly can override an objection by a two-thirds majority. The President then assents, and constitutional amendments require two-thirds of both chambers and may never diminish the rights chapter.Bills pass both chambers and receive Royal Assent. A persistent deadlock can trigger a double dissolution and, ultimately, a joint sitting.
Legal professionCandidates pass the national bar examination, then complete a year at the Legal Training and Research Institute before qualifying as bengoshi, judge or prosecutor.A fused profession under the Legal Practitioners Act: a single class of legal practitioner is admitted after a law degree and the Justice Training Centre's postgraduate course, and the Law Society of Namibia regulates practice.Admission is state-based but nationally recognised; practitioners may be admitted as barristers and solicitors, with an independent bar in most states.

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.