The Diet has always placed a high value on precedent and formality, but because of that many of its rules and regulations seem out of place in modern Japan.
Article 209 of the Upper House regulations, for example, says lawmakers cannot wear a hat, coat or scarf, or bring an umbrella or a walking stick, when they enter the Upper House chamber. Because of this strict regulation, ex-professional wrestler Antonio Inoki had to give up wearing his signature scarf when he became a member of the Upper House. The chamber also requires male lawmakers to wear a suit and tie.
In addition to the dress code, other examples of the rigid rules include barring personal computers and people who aren't Upper House members or officials from entering the chamber. As the special Diet session kicked off last week, however, those rules were eased for two new lawmakers, Yasuhiko Funago and Eiko Kimura, who have severe physical disabilities.
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