Japan Press Weekly

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2017 May 31 - June 6 [POLITICS]

JCP endorses bill to enable aging Emperor to step down

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on June 1 at a press conference held in the Diet building said that the JCP will support a bill to create a one-off law which enables the current Emperor to abdicate.

At the press conference, Koike said, “In light of the need to respect the dignity of individuals, a fundamental principle of the Constitution, it is necessary to change the current situation where the Emperor has to keep working even at a very old age. The JCP has taken the position that politicians should undertake the responsibility to establish legislation allowing for the Emperor’s abdication.”

Koike then referred to meetings which were convened by both Houses’ chairs and vice chairs several times since January to hear opinions about a bill to revise the Imperial Family Law from representatives of political parties in the Diet. Koike said that in the meetings, the JCP repeatedly proclaimed that legislation for the Emperor’s resignation should be created in compliance with constitutional provisions. Koike went on to say that from this point of view, the party proposed some amendments to the bill, and added that even if the proposed JCP amendments are rejected, the party will support the bill.

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Later on the same day, the bill was unanimously passed through the House of Representatives Steering Committee after the JCP proposal was dismissed.

Past related article:
> JCP Koike: Legislation for Emperor’s abdication should be established based on Constitution [March 18, 2017]