The Judiciary System. 199 
by the people affords perhaps the brightest augury for the suc- 
cess of self-government in Japan. 
The systematization and codification of the laws of Japan was 
one of the first cares of the government after the restoration. It 
was their wish to adapt them as nearly as possible to western 
models. All cruel and unusual punishments have been long 
since abolished, and Japan has today a body of codified law 
based upon the best models. All of the codes are in successful 
operation, with the exception of the civil code, which has already 
been promulgated, but has for some time been undergoing re- 
vision at the hands of a commission of experts and will soon be 
put in operation. 
In equal measure the judicial organization of the empire has 
been made the subject of careful study and thorough reform. 
In 1872 the Japanese judiciary was made independent of the 
other branches of the government, and courts were established 
presided over by judges who performed no other functions. 
Ten years ago a system of competitive examination for appoint- 
ment to judgeships was introduced, and has ever since been in 
successful operation. The constitution itself provides that juris- 
diction shall be exercised by the courts of law according to law ; 
that the organization of the courts shall be determined by law ; 
that the judges shall be appointed from among those who possess 
the proper qualifications according to law, and that no judge 
shall be deprived of his office except for misconduct and by due 
process of law. A statute passed for carrying these constitutional 
guarantees into effect and providing for a comprehensive and 
complete reorganization of the courts of justice has been in opera- 
tion for more than four years. 
