On August 31, a “special committee,” consisting of 45 members of the House of Peers, began a series of secret meetings that would last until October 3. Attention focused again on the emperor's role (kokutai), popular sovereignty, and the proposed electoral review of judges. Peers also criticized the American-sounding rhetoric of the preamble and the notion in Chapter X of the constitution as “supreme law.” Notable during these debates were exchanges between Takayanagi Kenzō and Sasaki Sōichi. In the end, after making a few minor amendments, the House of Peers added its approval of the revision.
Keywords: supreme law electoral review of judges, Article 9, Chapter X, House of Peers, Takayanagi Kenzō, kokutai, Sasaki Sōichi