The structure of the Japanese court government was laid out in two documents Taihō Ritsuryō 大宝律令 ‘The Code of the Taihō Era’ (701) and Yôrô Ritsuryô 養老律令 ‘The Code of the Yōrō Era'(718). Some alterations were made in 927 by the Engi Shiki 延喜式 ‘Regulations of the Engi Era’, but thereafter the government remained largely unchanged, although wielding less and less real power as the court declined in influence and the samurai in the provinces took over control of the country.

Having a position in the government, though, was all important to the aristocrats in the capital, as it brought with it rank and, in the early years before the government became impecunious, wealth. A man was most often referred to by the position(s) he held, which situated him precisely in the elaborate hierarchy of status relationships which governed aristocratic life.

Here, then, is an outline of the structure and offices of the imperial government.

Emperor 天皇（てんわう）
Department of Shintō 神祇官（じんぎくわん）
Great Council of State 太政官（だじやうくわん）
Controlling Board of the Left 左辨官（さべんくわん）	Controlling Board of the Right 右辨官（うべんくわん）
Ministry of Central Affairs 中務省（なかつかさしやう） Ministry of Ceremonial 式部省（しきぶしやう） Ministry of Civil Administration 治部省（ぢぶしやう） Ministry of Popular Affairs 民部省（みんぶしやう）	Ministry of War 兵部省（ひやうぶしやう） Ministry of Justice 刑部省（ぎやうぶしやう） Ministry of the Treasury 大蔵省（おほくらしやう） Ministry of the Emperor’s Household 宮内省（くないしやう）

 

All of the above (with the exception of the Emperor, of course) had their own officials, and the eight ministries were divided into bureaux with responsibilities for different areas within their remit.

Senior officials within the government were divided into four general classes: Head (kami 長官), Assistant (suke 次官), Secretary (jô 判官) and Clerk (sakan 主典). Within these four classes there were a range of different titles for officials, depending upon the department, ministry or bureau in which the person worked. Senior official positions also carried with them court rank, and the most important ones had various emoluments as well. In addition to the senior officials, there were also cohorts of junior officials attached to the various ministries and bureaux in order to carry out the essential menial tasks of the government.

If you click on the various links above, you can find out the structure and officials of the various branches of the government.