CHAPTER IV POLICY RESEARCH COUNCIL | Liberal Democratic Party of Japan

CHAPTER IV
POLICY RESEARCH COUNCIL

Article 42
1. There shall be established a Policy Research Council for the purpose of studying, researching and planning Party policies.
2. Bills and plans shall be deliberated by the Policy Research Council before they are officially adopted as Party policy.
Article 43

The Policy Research Council shall consist of Diet Members as well as other persons of knowledge and experience specially entrusted by the President.
Article 44
1. The Policy Research Council shall have a Chairman and not more than fifteen Deputy Chairmen. The Chairman may appoint one of the Deputy Chairmen to be Acting Chairman.
2. The Chairman of the Policy Research Council shall oversee and supervise the management of the Council.
3. The Acting Chairman shall assume the Chairman's functions under the direction of the Chairman.
4. The Deputy Chairmen shall assist the Chairman.
Article 45
1. There shall be a Policy Deliberation Commission within the Policy Research Council; the Commission shall deliberate and determine Party policy.
2. The Policy Deliberation Commission shall consist of the Chairman of the Policy Research Council, Deputy Chairmen of the Policy Research Council, and not more than twenty other Members.
3. The Chairman of the Policy Research Council shall convene and preside over the meetings of the Policy Deliberation Commission.
Article 46
1. The Chairman of the Policy Research Council shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the General Council.
2. Deputy Chairmen and Members of the Policy Deliberation Commission shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Council with the approval of the General Council.
Article 47
1. The Policy Research Council shall have separate Divisions whose purpose is to study, research, and craft Party policies. Each Division shall have a Director, several Acting Directors and Deputy Directors, and, if necessary, Special Directors may also be selected. The Divisions are as follows.
  - Cabinet Division
  - National Defense Division
  - Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Division
  - Judicial Affairs Division
  - Foreign Affairs Division
  - Treasury and Finance Division
  - Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Division
  - Health, Labor and Welfare Division
  - Agriculture and Forestry Division
  - Fisheries Division
  - Economy, Trade and Industry Division
  - Land, Infrastructure and Transport Division
  - Environment Division
2. The Director, Special Directors, and Deputy Directors of each Division of the Council shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Council with the approval of the General Council.
Article 48

When necessary, Research Commissions and Special Committees may be established under the supervision of the Chairman of the Policy Research Council with the consent of the Policy Deliberation Commission of the Council.
Article 49
1. All policy measures decided by the Policy Research Council shall be deliberated by the Policy Deliberation Commission before being adopted.
2. Decisions concerning Party policy made by the Policy Research Council shall promptly be reported to the Board and the General Council for approval.
Article 50
1. There shall be established within the Council a Forward Policy Study Unit for the purpose of studying fundamental problems of democratic government and basic policies of the Party, as well as for collecting and organizing various research materials.
2. The Director of the Forward Policy Study Unit shall be appointed by the President, with the consent of the General Council, from among a wide range of knowledgeable persons.