 LDP proposes setting up permanent committees to discuss constitutional revision Liberal Democratic Party House of Representatives member Yasuoka Okiharu proposed setting up permanent committees in both houses "to discuss the Constitution." At the Lower House Commission on the Constitution meeting on October 12, Yasuoka stated that his proposal is supported by the Democratic Party of Japan. Japanese Communist Party representative Yamaguchi Tomio opposed the LDP proposal on the grounds that all parliamentary committee discussions are devoted to making constitutional principles prevail. Akahata of October 15 warned that Yasuoka's proposal can be taken as a move towards giving concrete shape to the plan for the Constitution to be adversely revised. Article 96 of the Constitution stipulates procedures to be followed in the case of constitutional revision, on how parliament should discuss any amendment bill, and how the amendment should be initiated. The proposed permanent committees on the Constitution are aimed at satisfying these conditions. The LDP first introduced the idea in April. Yasuoka's proposal this time suggests that the DPJ has sided with the idea. Akahata suspects that the LDP used its influence over the DPJ during the Commission's tour abroad to study constitutions of other countries. The LDP and the Komei Party are preparing a bill for a national referendum necessary for constitutional revision and to introduce a bill to amend the Diet Law. Akahata stated that the moves to adversely revise the Constitution will be accelerated if the DPJ is clearly committed to these moves. (end) |