Drafting Democracy: Japan's New Constitution

This lecture discusses the process of drafting Japan's new constitution following World War II. It begins with the publication of a draft proposal by the Japanese Committee in February 1946, which displeased the government and General MacArthur. In response, MacArthur established an American task force to create a new constitution. The instructor shares insights from Beatty Gordon, who, as a secretary translator for GHQ, played a crucial role in this effort. The task force was instructed to maintain the emperor within a democratic framework, abolish the right of belligerency, and eliminate nobility privileges. The team, consisting mainly of young officers, worked intensively over seven days to draft a constitution that reflected democratic ideals. They studied various constitutions from around the world to incorporate global wisdom. The lecture concludes with the submission of the American draft to the Japanese government and the eventual adoption of the new constitution by the Diet after extensive debate regarding the emperor's status.