Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2011 May 11 - 17 [POLITICS]

Superhawkish Maehara leads DPJ’s constitutional debate

The Democratic Party of Japan on May 10 established its own research commission on the Constitution led by former Foreign Minister Maehara Seiji known to be a hawkish and pro-constitutional revision lawmaker.

In an article published by the Yomiuri Shimbun on May 3, Maehara stated, “Article 96 which sets requirements for constitutional revision must be changed. Barriers to constitutional revision should be lowered.” He also expressed his intention to establish a power leadership in the guise of the March 11 disaster by saying, “When an emergency situation occurs, the need is to require individuals and local governments to unquestioningly obey central government orders.”

After Maehara became the DPJ president in September 2005, he played an active role in passing the bill to establish procedures for constitutional revision in collaboration with the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komei Party. Competing with the LDP draft of constitution, Maehara compiled the DPJ’s proposal for constitutional revision. In November during his visit to the United States, Maehara called for constitutional revision regarding the 1,000 mile sea-lane defense.

Maehara has been a vice chair of the parliamentary league for a new constitution since 2008, which involves DPJ and LDP Dietmembers.

A DPJ lawmaker said, “Aiming to win the LDP over to the DPJ side in the so-called ‘twisted Diet’, the party named Maehara as the chair of its constitution research commission because he is popular with the LDP.”

The DPJ intends to establish a framework for the DPJ and the LDP to play a major role in Diet deliberations regarding constitutional revision.