Japan Press Weekly

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2015 December 23 - 2016 January 5 [POLITICS]

Abe seeks to add emergency clause to Constitution

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo in his New Year speech on January 4 cautioned that an “emergency provision” which Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is seeking to insert into the Constitution invites very “martial, dictatorial rule” and said, “It is absolutely unacceptable.”

A draft constitution of the Liberal Democratic Party states that the Prime Minister in the event of foreign invasions, disturbances of the social order such as internal strife, or large-scale natural catastrophes shall declare a state of emergency, enact cabinet orders having the same effect as laws, issue directives to local governments, and restrict fundamental human rights.

Based on the LDP draft constitution, Shii argued, “The ‘emergency provision’ is not only a breakthrough tactic to alter Article 9 of the Constitution but is horrific in its implications.”

He said, “Constitutional revisionists have gained momentum with the forcible enactment of the war laws which are completely incompatible with the Constitution,” and added, “The first dangerous sign of this momentum is the attempt to insert this ‘emergency provision’.” The JCP chair stressed the need to further increase the movement to repeal the war legislation and thwart any attempt on constitutional revision as inseparable struggles.

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Abe wants to raise constitutional revision as major issue in Upper House election

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on January 4 told reporters that he will strongly call for support to enact amendments to the Constitution during the House of Councilors election campaign, showing his intent to take up constitutional revision as a major election issue. “Through this call, I hope people will deepen discussions on the issue,” said Abe.