Constitutional Discussion Resumes

Commission on the Constitution in House of Councillors resumed its discussion on Wednesday after nine months of intermission since February. It was the first discussion after Shinzo Abe administration achieved two-third majority in both Houses in the election this summer. While lawmakers with Liberal Democratic Party criticized Constitution of Japan, Democratic Party refused amendment under the leadership of Prime Minister Abe.

After party representatives explained their official standpoint, the members of commission made free talks. LDP lawmaker, Masaharu Nakagawa, required amendment of Article 9, which defined unique pacifism of Japan. “I think that the Japanese start realizing this constitution as insufficient for protecting themselves, their families, region or state,” said Nakagawa. He insisted that preamble had to be changed and adding new human rights including right for environment, improvement of election system or autonomy and financial support for private schools are needed.

Some conservative lawmakers dismissed current Constitution as coerced by General Headquarters of United Nations right after the end of World War II. To this traditional idea of LDP, Komeito opposed, although it consisted a part of leading coalition. “It is never unilaterally coerced,” told Makoto Nishida. The fact is that Japanese parliament passed the Constitution of Japan with some changes after receiving a draft presented by a committee in GHQ. Approving validity of current Constitution, Komeito upholds reinforcement of Constitution of Japan.

DP is skeptical on necessity for constitutional amendment to deal with current issues related to the Constitution. Tetsuro Fukuyama wanted a condition for initiative of referendum only when the people firmly requested with notion of serious situation making constitutional amendment inevitable. Shinkun Haku refused discussion over constitutional amendment, while leaving inappropriate interpretation of Constitution of Japan in new security legislation. Japan Communist Party and Social Democratic Party opposed amendment itself.

One major talking point was LDP draft of amendment in 2012. Because of its radicalism for reinforcing state power and restricting human rights, LDP is backing it off from the discussion. Nakagawa denied LDP’s intention to propose it to the commission. But, Haku remembered that Abe praised the draft as a new form of constitution in twenty-first century. While LDP lawmakers dismiss current Constitution as Utopian concept, they require restoration of state power over the people. The discussion lacks the viewpoint on what point the Constitution of Japan is really in short of.