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Article VIII.—The House of Peers shall, when consulted by the Emperor, pass vote upon rules concerning the privileges of the nobility.

Article IX.—The House of Peers decides upon the qualification of its Members and upon disputes concerning elections thereto. The rules for these decisions shall be resolved upon by the House of Peers and submitted to the Emperor for His Sanction.

Article X.—When a Member has been sentenced to confinement, or to any severer punishment, or has been declared bankrupt, he shall be expelled by Imperial Order.

With respect to the expulsion of a Member, as a disciplinary punishment in the House of Peers, the President shall report the facts to the Emperor for His decision.

Any Member that has been expelled shall be incapable of again becoming a Member, unless permission so to do has been granted by the Emperor.

Article XI.—The President and Vice-President shall be nominated by the Emperor, from among the Members, for a term of seven years.

If an elected Member is nominated President or Vice-President, he shall serve in that capacity for the term of his membership.

Article XII.—Every matter, other than what provision has been made for in the present Imperial Ordinance, shall be dealt with according to the provisions of the Law of the Houses.

Article XIII.—When in the future any amendment or addition is to be made in the provisions of the present Imperial Ordinance, the matter shall be submitted to the vote of the House of Peers.

We, with the advice of Our Privy Council, hereby give Our Sanction to the present Law of the Houses and order it to be promulgated, and at the same time direct that, from the day of the institution of the House of Peers and of the House of Representatives, all affairs connected with either the one or the other of them, be conducted in accordance with the present Law.

The 11th day of the 2nd month of the 22nd year of Meiji [February 11, 1889].