Governor (Japan)

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Japan

This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Japan
Constitution The Constitution History Laws
The Monarchy Emperor (list) Akihito Crown Prince Naruhito Imperial House Imperial Household Agency
Legislature National Diet House of Representatives Speaker Tadamori Oshima Vice-Speaker Hirotaka Akamatsu House of Councillors President Chuichi Date Vice-President Akira Gunji Leader of the Opposition Yukio Edano
Executive Prime Minister (list) Shinzō Abe Deputy Prime Minister Tarō Asō Government Cabinet Ministries Administrative Agencies
Judiciary Chief Justice (list) Naoto Ōtani Supreme Court Intellectual Property High Court
Administrative Divisions Prefectures Governors (list) Subprefectures Districts Municipalities Mergers and Dissolutions Submunicipalities
Elections House of Councillors 2007 2010 2013 2016 House of Representatives 2009 2012 2014 2017 Next General Election
Political parties Major parties Liberal Democratic Constitutional Democratic Democratic Party for the People Other parties
Foreign relations Foreign policy
Related topics National Police Imperial Guard Special Assault Team Special Investigation Team Self-Defense Force Air Ground Maritime
Japan portal Other countries Atlas
v t e

In Japan, the governor (知事, chiji) is the highest ranking executive of a prefecture.^[1]

The governor is directly elected for a four-year term. Governors are subject to recall referenda. In each prefecture, between one and four vice governors are appointed by the governor with the approval of the prefectural assembly. In the case of death, disability, or resignation of the governor, one of the vice governors becomes either governor or acting governor.