Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/123

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THE IMPERIAL DIET
91
II.—Imperial Ordinance Concerning the House of Peers

Article I.—The House of Peers shall be composed of the following members:

  1. The members of the Imperial Family.
  2. Princes and Marquises.
  3. Counts, Viscounts, and Barons who have been elected thereto by the members of their respective orders.
  4. Persons who have been especially nominated by the Emperor on account of meritorious service to the State or of erudition.
  5. Persons who have been elected, one member for each Fu (city) and Ken (prefecture), by and from among the taxpayers of the highest amount of direct national taxes on land, industry therein, or trade therein, and who have afterwards been nominated thereto by the Emperor.

Article II.—The male members of the Imperial Family shall take seats in the House on reaching their majority.

Article III.—The members of the orders of Princes and of Marquises shall become members on reaching the age of full twenty-five years.

Article IV.—The members of the orders of Counts, Viscounts, and Barons, that after reaching the age of full twenty-five years have been elected by the members of their respective orders, shall become members for a turn of seven years. Rules for their election shall be especially determined by Imperial ordinance.

The number of members mentioned in the preceding clause shall not exceed the one-fifth of the entire number of the respective orders of Counts, Viscounts, and Barons.

Article V.—Any man of above the age of full thirty years, who has been nominated by the Emperor for meritorious service to the State or for erudition, shall be a life member.

Article VI.—One member shall be elected in each Fu and Ken from among and by the fifteen male inhabitants thereof of above the age of full thirty years, paying therein the highest amount of direct national taxes on land, industry, or trade. When the person thus elected receives his nomination from the Emperor, he shall become a member for a term of seven years. Rules for such election shall be specially determined by Imperial ordinance.

Article VII.—The number of members that have been nominated by the Emperor for meritorious services to the State, or for erudition, or from among men paying the highest amount of direct national taxes on land, industry, or trade, in

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