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 | SwedenReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law with common-law influence | Civil law (Nordic) |
| System of government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy | Constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Constitution of Japan | The four Fundamental Laws (Grundlagar) |
| In force since | 1947 | 1974 |
| Capital | Tokyo | Stockholm |
| Official languages | Japanese | Swedish |
| Currency | Japanese Yen (JPY) | Swedish krona (SEK) |
| Population | 123,500,000 | 10,600,000 |
| Division of powers | Parliamentary government with the Cabinet collectively responsible to the Diet, and a Supreme Court holding the final power of constitutional review. | Parliamentary government with a ceremonial monarch, strong independent public agencies that ministers may not instruct on individual cases, and separate general and administrative courts. |
| 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. | Government bills are prepared through the distinctive committee-of-inquiry and referral (remiss) process, examined by Riksdag committees and the Council on Legislation, and adopted by the Riksdag. |
| 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. | The title advokat is reserved for members of the Swedish Bar Association; representation in court is otherwise relatively open. |
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.