Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2017 November 1 - 7 [POLITICS]

JCP Yamazoe in JCI-hosted forum opposes Article 9 amendments

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Yamazoe Taku on November 2 in a forum hosted by the Junior Chamber International Japan debated with anti-constitution lawmakers over the incorporation of the Self-Defense Forces into Article 9 of the Constitution.

In addition to Yamazoe, those who attended the forum were pro-constitution lawmakers, Social Democratic Party member Fukushima Mizuho and independent Lower House member Yamao Shiori, and lawmakers of the anti-constitution force, Liberal Democratic Party member Nakatani Gen and Hope Party member Hosono Goshi.

In the debate, Yamazoe pointed out, “What Prime Minister Abe intends to add to Article 9 is the authority for the SDF to join in collective self-defense under the war laws.” He went on to criticize PM Abe for aiming to turn war-renouncing paragraph 2 of Article 9 into a dead letter and open a path for the SDF’s use of arms abroad without restrictions.

LDP Nakatani justified the war laws and said, “It’s high time to ask the general public for their decision about whether to incorporate the role of the SDF in the Constitution.”

HP lawmaker Hosono supported the beginning of discussions on constitutional amendments while expressing his concern that the discussion would trigger an upsurge of public opposition.

Past related articles:
> Longing for Article 9 revision, advisor to PM Abe thanks Hope Party for breaking up DP [ October 26, 2017]
> Axis of political confrontation is whether to defend Article 9 [ October 25, 2017]