Japan Press Weekly

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2015 April 29 - May 12 [POLITICS]

Constitutional revisionists resolve to enhance campaigns

An organization of lawmakers advocating the introduction of a new constitution held its congress on May 1 in Tokyo, resolving to strengthen their campaign to revise the war-renouncing Japanese Constitution.

The body is composed of parliamentarians from the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties as well as the three opposition parties: the Democratic Party of Japan, the Japan Innovation Party, and the Party for Future Generations. Former Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro serves as head of the organization.

The resolution adopted by the meeting states that “almost all obstacles to constitutional revision are removed”, mentioning that the revised law concerning procedures for constitutional amendment took effect in 2014, which contains a provision lowering the voting age from 20 to 18. The resolution calls for stepping up the nationwide campaign to achieve constitutional amendment.

Funada Hajime, chair of the LDP Headquarters for the Promotion of Revision of the Constitution, expressed his intent to promote discussions on the “people-friendly” issues such as environmental rights in the first stage of the campaign. “We will initiate amendments to the Constitution in several installments,” he said.

DPJ legislator Matsubara Jin denounced the present Constitution as “being drawn up by Americans just after World War II” and “lacking inspiration for the Japanese people”.

JIP Dietmember Ozawa Sakihito demonstrated his intent to accelerate deliberations on constitutional revision by saying, “Our party endorses the idea of adding to the Constitution an article dealing with imposing a state of emergency as well as the right to environment.”


Past related article:
> Requirements for national referendum on constitutional revisions eased [June 14, 2014]