Opposition to Abe’s Agenda

Ordinary Session of National Diet convoked on Monday entered into party leaders’ discussion in Plenary Sittings of both Houses on Wednesday. Against consistent ambition to amend Constitution of Japan by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the opposite leaders straightforwardly argued that it did not make any sense. Abe tried to defend his agenda with his unique theory. Leaving substantial analysis over the provisions behind, the discussion went on.

It was President of Constitutional Democratic Party Yukio Edano who degraded Abe as not worth his counterpart for discussing constitutional amendment. On Abe’s recognition of constitution as shaping ideal of a state, Edano dismissed it as “too strange notion to make appropriate discussion.” Edano upholds traditional interpretation of constitutionalism, which expects constitution to restrict state power for the people.

President of Party of Hope Yu-ichiro Tamaki unequivocally opposed Abe’s argument of changing Article 9. Abe had been insisting on adding a provision that determines the status of already existing Self-defense Force. Tamaki argued that Abe’s argument was baseless, because the role of SDF would not be changed by constitutional amendment. Since there are some lawmakers in Party of Hope who support Abe’s argument, Tamaki’s opposition may cause further separation of the party.

In his answer to the questions, Abe expected broad consensus beyond the aisle for further understanding of ordinary people. But his reasoning for changing Article 9 was still eccentric. “It is irresponsible to expect SDF risking their lives, arguing them as unconstitutional,” told Abe, “and our responsibility is to eliminate the possibility of such an argument.” Abe was fundamentally wrong when he made his argument based on a fake notion that there was someone who had such an expectation. One who thinks SDF as unconstitutional does not expect them to risk their lives, because an unconstitutional entity does not need to do make any activity.

To the strange argument of Abe, some colleagues in Liberal Democratic Party offered new discussion. Ten young LDP lawmakers agreed on submitting their party a proposal of adding “self-defense right” on Article 9, maintaining current two paragraphs. One lawmaker proposed new paragraph of reserving invocation of self-defense right. They tried to avoid adding status of SDF with a concern that SDF would have higher status than Ministry of Defense, contradicting civilian control.

Vice-President Masahiko Komura insisted on wrapping up the draft of constitutional amendment by National Party Conference in March. Promoters of the amendment are extremely hastened, because they believe it to be done by the end of Abe administration.