Abe still seeks constitutional revision to be initiated in 2010

   Despite the Liberal Democratic Party’s devastating defeat in the July House of Councilors election, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on August 30 reiterated that he is still intending to fulfill the LDP election promise to have the Diet initiate amendments to the Constitution in 2010.

   “We have enacted the constitutional revision procedure law in the ordinary Diet session. In the coming three years, we, together with the public, should discuss in detail a new constitution. I have not changed my decision,” Abe said to reporters.

   In the election, voters expressed strong concern about and criticism of Abe’s “breaking away from the postwar regime” policy centering on constitutional revision.                                                                                 - Akahata, August 31, 2007