What Type of Government Does Japan Have?

Japan has the longest continuously reigning monarchy in the world, the same family having occupied the imperial throne definitely since the 5th Century and possibly since 660 BC according to legend. But what power does the Imperial Family currently have and exactly what type of government does Japan have today?

Japan has a constitutional monarchy modeled after Western liberal democracies. This involves a complex, multi-branch structure that includes the Emperor of Japan as the head of state. This balanced integration of tradition and modernity is very typical of Japanese culture and can be seen in many facets of its government.