Advocates of adverse revision to Constitution form top LDP leadership

The Liberal Democratic Party with Koizumi Jun'ichiro as its new president will be run by a new leadership which is firmly committed to a change in the Constitution's Article 9, enabling Japan to play greater military roles.

On April 25, the LDP General Council filled the three top leadership posts led by Koizumi. Yamasaki Taku has been named secretary general, Aso Taro will be Policy Research Council chair, and Horiuchi Mutsuo has been given the post of General Council chair.

During the LDP presidential race, Koizumi publicly advocated a change in Article 9 and insisted that the interpretation of the Constitution be changed to allow Japan to exercise the right to "collective self-defense."

Yamasaki, new LDP secretary general, has been a faction leader who has called for the revision of Article 9 to establish the right to collective self-defense for Japan. His faction in March drew up an outline of a new constitution in March. He has made public his plan to work out a formal draft in five years.

Aso also expressed his position in favor of a revision to Article 9 to constitutionally establish the ground, sea, and air forces as military forces. (end)