Japan Press Weekly

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2013 March 6 - 12 [POLITICS]

LDP leader uses disaster as excuse for constitutional revision

Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Ishiba Shigeru expressed his opinion on March 10 that the Japanese Constitution should be revised so that the government can declare a state of emergency in case of a disaster.

Ishiba made the remark in his speech at a general meeting of the LDP Miyagi prefectural chapter held in Sendai City.

Ishiba said, “The 2011 disaster brought home to me that it is a matter of course that the administration sets a temporary limit on the rights of the public when people’s lives, properties, or the state itself are on the verge of danger.” He went on to say, “The reason the current Constitution lacks a provision to handle an emergency is because Japan was not yet an independent state when the Constitution was established. Now is the time to create a new constitution worthy of a sovereign nation.”

It is unethical to make use of disasters to press for constitutional revision.