who is the political leader of japan?
Shinzō Abe
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 Japan is a constitutional monarchy whereby the power of the Emperor is very limited . As a ceremonial figurehead , he is defined by the constitution as " the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people . " Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister and other elected members of the Diet , while sovereignty is vested in the Japanese people . Akihito is the current Emperor of Japan ; Naruhito , Crown Prince of Japan , stands as next in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne . 

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 The cabinet meeting adjourned at 17 : 30 with no consensus . A second meeting lasting from 18 : 00 to 22 : 00 also ended with no consensus . Following this second meeting , Suzuki and Tōgō met the Emperor , and Suzuki proposed an impromptu Imperial conference , which started just before midnight on the night of August 9 – 10 . Suzuki presented Anami 's four @-@ condition proposal as the consensus position of the Supreme Council . The other members of the Supreme Council spoke , as did Kiichirō Hiranuma , the president of the Privy Council , who outlined Japan 's inability to defend itself and also described the country 's domestic problems , such as the shortage of food . The cabinet debated , but again no consensus emerged . At around 02 : 00 ( August 10 ) , Suzuki finally addressed Emperor Hirohito , asking him to decide between the two positions . The participants later recollected that the Emperor stated : 

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 The Prime Minister of Japan is the head of government and is appointed by the Emperor after being designated by the Diet from among its members . The Prime Minister is the head of the Cabinet , and he appoints and dismisses the Ministers of State . Following the LDP 's landslide victory in the 2012 general election , Shinzō Abe replaced Yoshihiko Noda as the Prime Minister on December 26 , 2012 and became the country 's sixth prime minister to be sworn in during a span of six years . Although the Prime Minister is formally appointed by the Emperor , the Constitution of Japan explicitly requires the Emperor to appoint whoever is designated by the Diet . 

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 The Current Emperor of Japan ( 今上天皇 ) is Akihito . He was officially enthroned on November 12 , 1990 . He is styled as His Imperial Majesty ( 天皇陛下 ) , and his reign bears the era name of Heisei ( 平成 ) . Naruhito , the Crown Prince of Japan , is the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne . 

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 Both houses of the National Diet designates the Prime Minister with a ballot cast under the run @-@ off system . Under the Constitution , should both houses not agree on a common candidate , then a joint committee is allowed to be established to agree on the matter ; specifically within a period of ten days , exclusive of the period of recess . However , if both houses still do not agree to each other , the decision made by the House of Representatives is deemed to be that of the National Diet . Upon designation , the Prime Minister is presented with their commission , and then formally appointed to office by the Emperor . 
