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JAPAN BY THE JAPANESE

Article XLVII.—The orders of the day and the notice relating to debates shall, simultaneously with the distribution thereof among the members, be transmitted to the Ministers of State and to the delegates of the Government.

Chapter X.—Questions.

Article XLVIII.—When a member in either House desires to put a question to the Government, he shall be required to obtain the support of not less than thirty members.

In putting such questions, the member proposing it shall draw up a concise memorandum and present it to the President, after he shall have signed it conjointly with the supporters.

Article XLIX.—The President shall transmit the memorandum on questions to the Government. A Minister of State shall then either immediately answer the question or fix the date for making such answer, and when he does not do so he shall explicitly state his reasons therefor.

Article L.—When an answer has been or has not been obtained from a Minister of State, any member may move a representation concerning the affairs in question.

Chapter XI.—Addresses and Representations.

Article LI.—When either House desires to present an address to the Emperor, it shall be presented in writing; or the President may be directed, as the representative of the House, to ask an audience of the Emperor, and present the same to him.

The representations of either House to the Government shall be presented in writing.

Article LII.—No motion for such address and representation shall in either House be made the subject of debate, unless thirty members support it.

Chapter XII.—The Relations of the Two Houses of the Diet to each other.

Article LIII.—With the exception of the Budget, Government Bills may be first presented in either of the Houses.

Article LIV.—When a Government Bill has been passed in either House, with or without an amendment, it shall then be carried into the other House. When the second House either concurs in or dissents from the vote of the first House, it shall, simultaneously with addressing the Emperor, report to the first House.

In case a Bill introduced by either House is rejected by the other House, the second House shall report the fact to the first House.

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