Insisting Two-thirds

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe revealed his strange target for coming election of House of Councillors this summer. In the TV interview broadcast on Sunday, he showed his willingness for achieving two-third majority with some opposite parties for constitutional amendment. Not satisfied with coalition with Komeito, Abe named Osaka Restoration Party as partner of Liberal Democratic Party, knowing Komeito and Osaka were discordant each other. Maneuver for the amendment seemed to have been occupying Abe’s mind.

In the Sunday Discussion of NHK, Japan Broadcasting Corporation, Abe was negative on achieving two-third majority in House of Councillors only in the framework of current leading coalition. “It is difficult for only the leading parties to achieve two-thirds. There are parties positive for constitutional amendment other than LDP and Komeito, like ORP is so. Which provisions to be amended will be discussed. I hope to constitute two-thirds not only with LDP and Komeito, but with people who consider the amendment,” told Abe.

ORP has long positive on constitutional amendment under the leadership of former Mayor of Osaka, Toru Hashimoto. In spite of its focus on changing power structure between national and local government, ORP has been cooperative with Abe who upheld changing Article 9. “We assume amendment for settling autocracy and are preparing a draft before the election,” told Toranosuke Katayama, Chairman of ORP Lawmakers Group and former ranked member of LDP, in the same TV program.

However, LDP is not completely united for the agenda. Abe abandoned changing and chose reinterpretation of Article 9 for new security legislation two years ago. Some LDP lawmakers do not want the amendment, which is highly controversial in the election. Although Abe pretends not to be insisting on Article 9 and stresses the necessity of the amendment for inserting emergency clause for natural disaster, skepticism still remains.

Komeito has been cautious on Abe’s approach to ORP. “Because this is the issue requiring sufficient consensus regardless leading or opposite party, it is important to make effort to establish broad agreement not only with ORP but other opposite parties,” said Natsuo Yamaguchi, President of Komeito. Komeito is fundamentally afraid of ORP joining the leading coalition.

Actually, other opposite parties are sober on this agenda. President of Democratic Party of Japan, Katsuya Okada, opposes any amendment of the Constitution under Abe administration. Japan Communist Party seeks grand opposite coalition to disturb the amendment. Achieving two-thirds is still not so easy.