First Meeting of National Diet

Date: November 29, 1890 • Location: Chiyoda-ku, Japan

The National Diet of Japan, a bicameral legislature modelled after both the German Reichstag and the British Westminster system, first met in Tokyo.

The National Diet is the national legislature of Japan. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Senate. Both houses are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally responsible for nominating the prime minister. The Diet was first established as the Imperial Diet in 1890 under the Meiji Constitution, and took its current form in 1947 upon the adoption of the post-war constitution. Both houses meet in the National Diet Building in Nagatachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo.