LDP eyes discussions on opposition-proposed constitutional revision

December 13, 2017

Tokyo- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to call for parliamentary debate on not only revisions in the Constitution it envisages but also an amendment proposed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the leading opposition party in the lower chamber of the Diet, LDP sources said Tuesday.

On Dec. 20, the LDP's headquarters for promoting constitutional amendments is set to present related issues to be discussed.

Initially, the party task force planned to put up for debate revisions to war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution, cancelation of prefectural electoral district mergers for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, addition of a state of emergency clause to the top law and the realization of charge-free education.

But it is now considering also proposing active discussions on opposition parties' revision ideas, such as one by the CDPJ for limiting the prime minister's power to dissolve the all-important Lower House, in order to push forward constitutional amendment debate in the Diet, the sources said.

The change in the LDP's stance reflects a request from its coalition partner, Komeito, for seeking cooperation from the opposition camp, particularly from the CDPJ, observers said.

But the gap between the LDP and the CDPJ is unlikely to be narrowed easily, as the major opposition party strongly protests the move to revise Article 9 and criticizes as unconstitutional the new national security laws, which allow Japan to partially exercise the right to collective self-defense.

If the constitutional clause is rewritten to stipulate the existence of the Self-Defense Forces in line with the controversial laws, exercising the right will become constitutional, the CDPJ argues.

CDPJ head Yukio Edano told reporters Tuesday that the LDP's debate on the Constitution lacks direction. "It's not worth commenting on," he said. Jiji Press