Former Minister of Defense Shigeru Ishiba released on Monday his private draft of new Article 9 of Constitution of Japan. Replacing the second paragraph of the article, Ishiba proposed writing “Self-defense Force” down in new second paragraph. Ishiba’s draft fundamentally contradicts the idea that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has upheld and the leaders of Liberal Democratic Party have approved. Ishiba’s challenge against current LDP argument may cause making constitutional amendment a tool for power game in politics.
Ishiba’s Paragraph 2 of Article 9 consists of 4 Sentences. The first sentence determines that Japan possesses Self-defense Force to secure independence and peace of the country, safety and freedom of the people, and peace and safety of international society. While he has been supporting for the draft made by LDP in 2012, which proposed creating National Defense Force instead of SDF, Ishiba has also been saying that he would not insist on the name of the force.
Ishiba’s second sentence of Paragraph 2 requires SDF obedience to control of the Diet in terms of budget, formation or activity. The third sentence determines that the supreme commander of SDF is Prime Minister. He added new provision for tribunal as the fourth sentence. “To examine the cases in which the member of SDF commits crime related to his/her mission or classified information, the judgment court shall be settled, which final trial court is the Supreme Court,” it determines.
Ishiba also proposed new Paragraph 1. While current paragraph 1 pronounces war as means of settling international conflict, the draft removes those words, which has been making a core of pacifism of post-war Japan. “We solemnly declare that we permanently renounce threat or use of force as mean of aggression,” says Ishiba’s draft as replacement of Paragraph 1.
LDP Headquarters for Promoting Constitutional Amendment required the party members any suggestion for constitutional amendment until Monday. Ishiba submitted his private draft on the final day. While the Chairman of the Headquarters Hiroyuki Hosoda hopes to wrap up the discussion according to Abe’s idea of maintaining Paragraph 2, Ishiba’s draft will cause delay of the process with possible argument over Abe amendment.
On the same day Ishiba submitted his draft, Abe encouraged young LDP lawmakers to positive involvement in the discussion of constitutional amendment. Discussion over constitution for him is nothing but destruction of constitution. He has no idea of respecting Constitution of Japan anyhow.
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