Pro-Constitution opinion prevails in local public hearing

Opinions in defense of the Constitution are overwhelming the call for constitutional revisions in the wake of the recent enactment of the war-contingency-related laws.

All witnesses at a public hearing held by the House of Representatives Research Commission on the Constitution on June 9 in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, expressed their opposition to constitutional revisions.

Those among the audience who were asked to give their opinions by the commission chair also called for the Constitution to be defended. Pro-Constitution cheers from the gallery were so deafening that the commission chair often had to use his gavel.

A lawyer said, "Article 9 of the Constitution is an important milestone in history. The enactment of the contingency bills by inspiring North Korean fear must be called into question."

An assistant professor at Kagawa University said, "The war-contingency legislation will be in conflict with the basic human rights and local autonomy guaranteed by the Constitution."

Criticizing the present educational system that forces children to compete with each other, a former schoolteacher said, "We should comply with the constitutional provision guaranteeing the right to education instead of seeking to revise the Constitution."

A person in the gallery said, "The war-renouncing Constitution is a common property not only for Japanese but all mankind."

When the public hearing ended, a ruling party Dietmember, who is an advocate of constitutional amendments, said to a Japanese Communist Party Dietmember, "Today's hearing was like a rally calling for the defense of the Constitution, wasn't it?" (end)