President of the House of Councillors facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of the House of Councillors |
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Emblem of the Government of Japan
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 Masakazu Sekiguchi since 11 November 2024 |
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| House of Councillors | |
| Style | Mr. President (informal) The Honourable (formal) |
| Residence | The President's Official Residence (not in use) |
| Appointer | House of Councillors |
| Term length | Three years; renewable once |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Japan |
| Formation | May 20, 1947 |
| Deputy | Vice President of the House of Councillors |
The President of the House of Councillors (called Sangiin-gichō in Japanese) is a very important leader in Japan. They are in charge of the House of Councillors, which is like the "upper house" or a main part of Japan's parliament. Think of it as one of the two main groups that make laws for the country.
Along with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the House of Councillors helps lead the part of the Japanese government that makes laws. This person is chosen by the members of the House of Councillors when a new session starts. They can serve for two three-year terms, which means they can be in this role for up to six years.
Right now, the President of the House of Councillors is Masakazu Sekiguchi. He started his job on November 11, 2024.
How the President is Chosen
The election for the President happens on the first day of a new session. A special secretary helps manage the vote. Members of the House vote secretly. To become President, a person needs to get more than half of all the votes.
If no one gets enough votes, the two people with the most votes have another election. If they get the same number of votes, they draw lots (like picking a name from a hat) to decide who wins! The Vice President is chosen in the same way, but in a separate vote.
Usually, the President comes from the main political party that is in charge (the "ruling party"). The Vice President usually comes from the main party that is not in charge (the "opposition party"). For example, the current President, Masakazu Sekiguchi, is from the Liberal Democratic Party. The Vice President, Hiroyuki Nagahama, is from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
What the President Does
The President of the House of Councillors has several important jobs. They are responsible for:
- Keeping order in the House.
- Making sure the work of the House runs smoothly.
- Looking after how the House is managed.
- Representing the House to others.
The President also has the power to keep things calm during meetings. If needed, they can ask the police to help. These police officers then follow the President's orders. The President can even ask a member of the House or a visitor to leave if they are causing trouble.
If a member of the House is being noisy or causing problems, the President can warn them. They can also tell the member to take back what they said. If the member still doesn't listen, the President can stop them from speaking. They can even make the member leave the meeting until it's over. If things get too wild and out of control, the President can stop the meeting for a short time or even end it for the day.
Images for kids
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The official residence of the President of the House of Councillors in Tokyo. It's mostly used for special events, like welcoming important guests from other countries.
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Tsuneo Matsudaira, the first President of the House of Councillors.
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Naotake Satō
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Yahachi Kawai
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Tsuruhei Matsuno
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Yūzō Shigemune
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Kenzō Kōno
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Yūji Osada
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Yutaka Inoue
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Chikage Oogi
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Satsuki Eda
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Takeo Nishioka
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Kenji Hirata
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Masaaki Yamazaki
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Chūichi Date
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Akiko Santō
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Hidehisa Otsuji
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Jiichirō Matsumoto, the first Vice President.
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Kazuo Maeda
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Giichi Tsunoda
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Azuma Koshiishi
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Akira Gunji
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Toshio Ogawa
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Hiroyuki Nagahama, the current Vice President.
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