INTERVIEW: Nippon Ishin blames delay in constitutional debate on diet

August 16, 2019

Tokyo--Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) Secretary-General Nobuyuki Baba has attributed the absence of full-fledged debate on Japan's Constitution to negligence by the Diet, the country's parliament.

"No full discussions have been made at the commissions on the Constitution" of both chambers of the Diet, Baba said in a recent interview. "There are problems in both ruling and opposition parties."

"Opposition parties other than Ishin should respond to the debates at the commissions on the Constitution, set up to discuss revision items," he went on to say.

Baba also said, "I feel that the ruling party, accepting a halt to discussions, also lacks motivation."

"We will need to make a request to the heads of both chambers unless substantial talks begin," he continued.

On constitutional reform, Baba suggested it is problematic that the collective opinion of nationals has never been shown on the Constitution, which underscores the sovereignty of the people.

"It's a mission for us living in the present to revise the Constitution in accordance with the times," he said.

Baba noted that his party has already drawn up a draft revision for a program to make education free of charge, for governance structural reform and for the establishment of a constitutional court. "I want these three items to be discussed at the commissions on the Constitution."

"In particular, it's important to make education programs from preschool to high school free of charge," he said.

Asked about claims that there is no need to revise the top law to make educational programs free of charge, Baba said that a child benefit program introduced by the administration of the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan disappeared after the party lost power in 2012.

Free education "should be clearly stated in the Constitution to keep a free education policy unchanged even after a regime change," he said, stressing that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's proposed constitutional provision pledging to enhance education is "too weak."

Baba indicated that his party does not reject a plan to revise war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution.

But he showed disagreement on the LDP's plan to stipulate the existence of the Self-Defense Forces in the article.

He also said that he does not understand the need to amend the Constitution to include an emergency clause as proposed by the LDP.

Another LDP proposal to revise the national charter to dissolve mergers of some prefectural constituencies for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, is "out of the question," he said, suggesting that such a plan would not win understanding from nationals.

Baba voiced discomfort that his party is viewed among forces trying to revise the Constitution. "We didn't say that we would fully agree with the LDP, aiming at constitutional reform," he said.

Time limits should not be set to discuss constitutional reform issues, Baba said, referring to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's aim of putting constitutional amendments into force in 2020.

"We need to discuss (constitutional reform) fully. The prime minister should not comment on the timing thoughtlessly," he said.

Baba expressed hope that well-known former Nippon Ishin head Toru Hashimoto will explain the Constitution in the media to enhance understanding and raise interest among nationals. Jiji Press