General Affairs State Council

The General Affairs State Council () was the de facto executive administrative branch of the government of the Japanese-controlled Empire of Manchukuo from 1934-1945.

Background

Manchukuo was proclaimed a monarchy on 1 March 1934, with former Qing dynasty emperor Puyi assuming the Manchukuo throne under the reign name of Emperor Kang-de. An imperial rescript issued the same day, promulgated the organic law of the new state, establishing a Privy Council (), a Legislative Council () and the General Affairs State Council to “advise and assist the emperor in the discharge of his duties”. The Privy Council was an appointive body consisting of Puyi's closest friends and confidants, and the Legislative Council was largely an honorary body without authority. The State Council was therefore the center of political power in Manchukuo.

Workings

The General Affairs State Council consisted of ten ministries forming a cabinet. The cabinet ministers were all native Manchukuoans, of either ethnic Manchu or Han Chinese descent, and in all cases, the vice-ministers in each ministry were Imperial Japanese Army officers, appointed by the Kwantung Army leadership. The Japanese vice-ministers functions in roles similar to British resident officer in British overseas protectorates in that they had final approval over any actions of the “native” ministers. The State Council itself was presided over by a Secretary-General, the first of whom was Takuzo Komai,　an ethnic Japanese.

The...
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