Meiji Constitution
By the surrender in the World War II on 2 September 1945, the Empire of Japan was deprived of sovereignty by the Allies, and the Meiji Constitution was suspended. During the Occupation of Japan, the Meiji Constitution was replaced by a new document, the postwar Constitution of Japan. This document replaced imperial rule with a form of Western-style liberal democracy. Officially, these changes are an amendment to Meiji Constitution under its Article 73 provisions for amendment, so the current Japanese constitution maintains legal continuity with the Meiji Constitution.