Japan Press Weekly

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2021 June 9 - 15 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Revised national referendum law for constitutional amendments enacted

A revised law on national referendums concerning constitutional amendments was enacted in the House of Councilors plenary session on June 11. The Japanese Communist Party voted against the revision bill.

Since 2017 when former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo expressed his intent to legitimize the existence of Japan's Self-Defense Forces by modifying Article 9 of the Constitution, constitutional revisionists have been promoting moves to amend the Constitution. In June 2018, the Liberal Democratic Party, the Komei Party, and the "Nippon Ishin no Kai" party jointly submitted the bill as a "trigger" to activate the Commissions on the Constitution in both Houses.

However, encouraged by the growing public movement opposing "Abe's constitutional revision", opposition parties have successfully blocked eight consecutive sessions of the Diet from even entering into debates over constitutional revision.

PM Suga Yoshihide regards the latest enactment of the revised law as the "first step" toward facilitating discussions on constitutional amendments, showing his commitment to move ahead with "Abe's passion for constitutional revision".

JCP Policy Commission Chair Tamura Tomoko at a press conference said, "Any political attempt to adversely revise the Constitution is impermissible. We will debate this issue in the upcoming general election campaign."

Past related article:
> Opposition parties will oppose passage of constitutional referendum bill during current session [May 21, 2020]