Pressured by U.S, LDP, Komei, and DPJ call for Article 9 to be revised

Interim reports on arguments for constitutional revision focused on the war-renouncing Article 9 were published by the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan immediately before the start of the House of Councilors election campaign on June 24. A Komei Party report compiled arguments that include a view in favor of the adverse revision.

The Koizumi Cabinet decided to have the Self-Defense Forces participate in the multinational force in Iraq precisely as it had been told to by the United States. The United States went so far as to demand that Article 9 be removed so that the SDF may legally be deployed abroad to fight in wars.

Liberal Democratic Party

Acceding to the U.S. demand, the LDP Constitution Research Council's interim report advocates the Constitution be rewritten.

It includes the maintenance of "war potential" meaning the recognition of the SDF as a military force, the "establishment of the right of collective self-defense" that would allow the SDF to use force abroad, and "international contributions" which will be used as a cover of military contributions to the U.S. forces.

The LDP policy also calls for a system to be established to force the public to obey "defense duties" and proposes establishing a military court, both designed to remake Japan into a war-fighting nation.

Komei Party

The Komei Party plans to publish its draft constitutional review at its party congress in the autumn while keeping step with the LDP in the attempt to kill the Article 9.

Democratic Party of Japan

A DPJ interim report on its "proposal of constitutional review" to be published within this year will reportedly state that Japan has the right of self-defense and will "take active part in United Nations activities for collective security".

The DPJ Upper House election platform calls for Japan to take part in a United Nations stand-by force. DPJ officials say that the concept of "the right of self-defense" will also mean the "right of collective self-defense". Akahata on June 26 warned that this will eventually lead Japan to use force together with the U.S. abroad.

Although the DPJ opposes Japan's participation in the MNF in Iraq, DPJ President Okada Katsuya is arguing that it will be possible to send the SDF to Iraq if conditions are met.

Akahata stated that this is the consequence of the DPJ taking the same attitude toward the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty as the LDP, as is its support for the constitutional revision.

Japanese Communist Party

In sharp contrast to these arguments, the Japanese Communist Party maintains that what must be abrogated is not the pacifist Constitution but the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.

Criticizing these parties for their attempt to sacrifice even the Constitution in response to U.S. demands, the JCP is taking the lead in organizing a nationwide campaign to guarantee and vitalize Article 9 of the Constitution. (end)