House Rules - Rules of the House

A general term for the legal forms recognized by the Constitution (House Rules-making Power - Article 58, Paragraph 2) in order to ensure the autonomy of the House of Representatives. Specifically, in addition to the Rules of the House of Representatives and the Rules of the House of Councillors, there are the Rules of the Conference Committee of both Houses, the Rules of the Joint Committee of Standing Committees, the Rules of the House of Representatives for Observing Public Hearings, and the Rules of the House of Councillors for Observing Public Hearings.

In many Western countries, the organizational and operational procedures of the House are determined by the House Rules, but in Japan, since the Meiji Constitution, laws (the Diet Law and the Houses Law) have existed between the Constitution and the House Rules, and the House Rules remain merely detailed legal provisions.

The House Rules do not apply outside the House, but they are binding on not only Members of the House but also Ministers of State, witnesses, reference persons, and observers within the House, and are therefore published in the Official Gazette.

[Takao Sasaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

議院の自律権を確保するため、憲法（議院規則制定権―58条2項）によって認められた法形式の総称。具体的には衆議院規則、参議院規則のほか、両院協議会規程、常任委員会合同審査会規程、衆議院傍聴規則、参議院傍聴規則などがある。

　欧米の多くの国では、議院規則で議院の組織運営を定めるが、日本では、明治憲法以来、憲法と議院規則との間に法律（国会法・議院法）が介在し、議院規則を法律の細則規程にとどめている。

　議院規則は、その効力を院外には及ぼさないが、院内では議員のほか国務大臣、証人、参考人、傍聴人なども拘束するため、官報に掲載して公示されている。

［佐々木髙雄］

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