Order No. 1 of the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces in the Philippines

To Mr..

1. You, Mr. Jorge B. Vargas, shall be the head of the central administrative organization — "Chairman of the Executive Commission," — and shall proceed to the immediate coordination of the existing central administrative organs in the Philippines, and to the execution of administration under the commands and orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces.

2. The coordination of the existing central administrative organs shall be effected according to the following rules:


 * a. The "Chairman of the Executive Commission" shall keep necessary offices under his direct control.


 * b. The central administrative organs shall be reconstituted into six departments, viz., Interior; Finance; Justice; Agriculture and Commerce; Education, Health and Public Welfare; and Public Works and Communications.

Each department shall have at its head a "Commissioner," who shall execute an administration within his jurisdiction under the control of the "Chairman of the Executive Commission."

Each department shall have a Japanese adviser and Japanese assistant advisers.

3. The Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces shall exercise jurisdiction over judicial courts.

4. A "Commissioner" for each department constituting the central administrative organization shall be appointed on your recommendation by the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces.

As regards the appointments of other important officials, including chiefs of the offices under the direct control of the "Chairman of the Executive Commission" and chiefs of local administrative organs, you shall have an approval of the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces.

5. The systems and constitutions of the departments of the central administrative organization and of judicial courts shall generally be based upon what have existed hitherto, provided that their outlines be approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces.

Any important change in the above-mentioned systems and constitutions shall be effected in conformity with the foregoing paragraph.

6. In the execution of administration, the foremost importance shall be laid in satisfying the demands of the Imperial Japanese Forces and in the immediate re-establishment of peace and order; and the "Chairman of the Executive Commission" and the "Commissioners" of the departments shall comply with the orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces regarding any important matters.

7. The systems and constitutions of local administrative organs shall generally be based upon what existed hitherto.

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January 23d, 1942 (the 17th year of Showa).