Editing Tetsu Katayama (section)

==Premiership (1947–1948)==
{{seealso|Katayama Cabinet}}
[[File:Tetsu Katayama Cabinet 19470524.jpg|thumb|Katayama's cabinet]]
Following the 1947 elections, in which the Socialist Party came in first, Katayama formed a coalition government with the [[Democratic Party (Japan, 1947)|Democratic Party]] and the [[National Cooperative Party]]. Although in reality, Emperor Hirohito was displeased by the fact that Katayama became the prime minister, wherein he was not included in the votation process.<ref>Bix 2016, p. 626</ref> Despite leading a short-lived administration, Katayama, during his time in office, saw the enactment of a wide range of progressive social reforms such as the establishment of Japan's first Labour Ministry;<ref>{{Cite book |last=Totten |first=George Oakley |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s24FAQAAIAAJ |title=Studies on Japan's Social Democratic Parties: Socialist parties in postwar Japan |date=1966 |publisher=Yale University Press |language=en}}</ref> an Unemployment Compensation Act; an Unemployment Insurance Act; and the overhaul revision of the Civil Code, whose section on the family institution was completely rewritten to provide, for instance, the eldest son with a greater inheritance share.<ref>{{cite web|last=Odaka|first=Konosuke|title=The Evolution of Social Policy in Japan|url=http://siteresources.worldbank.org/WBI/Resources/wbi37202.pdf|publisher=World Bank|access-date=13 January 2013|year=2002}}</ref><ref name="Mackie 2003, p. 130">{{Cite book|title=Feminism in Modern Japan: Citizenship, Embodiment and Sexuality|last=Mackie|first=Vera|date=2003-02-26|publisher=Cambridge University Press|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=g7_5Cm8k2MkC&pg=PA130]|isbn=9780521527194}}</ref>

The Labour Standards Act of September 1947 introduced maternity leave for a five weekly mandatory post-natal period and prohibited dismissal of women during maternity leave and for thirty days after the end of the leave although not all workers were covered.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.oecd.org/els/family/PF2.5%20Trends%20in%20leave%20entitlements%20around%20childbirth%20since%201970%20-%2010%20oct%202012%20-%20FINAL%20-%20Annex.pdf |title=Trends in leave entitlements around childbirth since 1970 |access-date=21 November 2014 |archive-date=21 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140721142403/http://www.oecd.org/els/family/PF2.5%20Trends%20in%20leave%20entitlements%20around%20childbirth%20since%201970%20-%2010%20oct%202012%20-%20FINAL%20-%20Annex.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> In addition, the law provided for equal pay for equal work.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mKNcjos0aH0C&pg=PA61|title=Women and Women's Issues in Post World War II Japan|last=Beauchamp|first=Edward R.|date=1998-01-01|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9780815327318}}</ref> The Employment Security Law of November 1947 contained authority for the government to operate a system of free public employment exchanges on a broader and more democratic basis than under the former Employment Exchange Law. It also provided for public services to the handicapped in securing employment, and outlawed labor bosses and other undemocratic forms of labor recruitment.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uhLlbioRXrwC&pg=PA16 |title = Economic Policy in Postwar Japan: Growth Versus Economic Democracy|last1 = Yamamura|first1 = Kōzō|last2 = Yamamura|first2 = K̄oz̄o|year = 1967}}</ref> The Child Welfare Law of December 1947 extended special protection to abused, abandoned, and neglected children, guaranteed the privacy rights of children born out of wedlock, established health-care programmes for mothers and children, provided for prenatal care, outlawed the employment of minors in dangerous occupations, and abolished the practice of indentured labour. The legislation also laid the institutional foundation for a nationwide system of childcare centres, created standards for foster parentage, and made the state responsible for setting up and supervising orphanages and other juvenile institutions.<ref name="Mackie 2003, p. 130"/>

The Law for the Elimination of Excessive Economic Concentration (passed in December 1947) provided for the dissolution of any company considered to be monopolistic,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Yamamura |first=Kozo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wWMOIsQuIhkC |title=The Economic Emergence of Modern Japan |date=1997-06-13 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-58946-8}}</ref> while the "law on the expulsion of [[Zaibatsu]]-affiliated controls" of January 1948 enforced the resignation of Zaibatsu board members who were related closely to Zaibatsu families, while a measure was taken to ban on holding the concurrent board posts of their affiliated companies. In addition, a government employees law was enacted, the first group of Japanese Supreme Court justices was appointed, local government and the police were reorganised, the Ministries of Home Affairs, Navy, and War were abolished,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Cole |first1=Allan Burnett |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ApXaAAAAMAAJ |title=Socialist Parties in Postwar Japan |last2=Totten |first2=George Oakley |last3=Uyehara |first3=Cecil H. |date=1966 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-608-30698-8}}</ref> extensive revisions were made to criminal law, and progress was made on land reform.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O3QuFAHMFqUC&pg=PA186|title=Dictionary of the Modern Politics of Japan|last1=Stockwin|first1=J. A. A.|date=2003-12-16|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9780203402177}}</ref>