Our Ministers of State, on Our behalf, shall be held responsible for the carrying out of the present Constitution, and Our present and future subjects shall for ever assume the duty of allegiance to the present Constitution.
[His Imperial Majesty's Sign-Manual]
The 11th day of the 2nd month of the 22nd year of Meiji.
Count Kuroda Kiyotaka,
Minister President of State.
Count Ito Hirobumi,
President of the Privy Council.
Count Okuma Shigenobu,
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Count Saigo Tsugumichi,
Minister of State for the Navy.
Count Inouye Kaoru,
Minister of State for Agriculture and
Commerce.
Count Yamada Akiyoshi,
Minister of State for Justice.
Count Matsugata Masayoshi,
Minister of State for Finance, and
Minister of State for Home Affairs.
Count Oyama Iwao,
Minister of State for War.
Viscount Mori Arinori,
Minister of State for Education.
Viscount Enomoto Takeaki,
Minister of State for Communications.
CHAPTER I.—THE EMPEROR.
Article I.—The Empire of Japan shall be reigned over and governed by a line of
Emperors unbroken for ages eternal.
Article II.—The Imperial Throne shall be succeeded to by Imperial male descendants, according to the provisions of the Imperial House Law.
Article III.—The Emperor is sacred and inviolable.
