Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he will instruct Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to present draft revisions to the country’s post-war pacifist constitution to parliament this year.
“The Constitution represents the way this nation should be and its ideal state,” the Asahi Shimbun quoted Abe as saying at his first news conference of 2018 after visiting Ise Jingu shrine here. “It is time to fully present to the public a Constitution that serves as a hope for new times and to deepen public debate toward constitutional revision.”
Abe reportedly stressed that “popular sovereignty, protection of basic human rights and pacifism will remain the basic principles” in the draft of the revised constitution. But Asahi said the prime minister stressed that it’s only natural to hold talks on how Japan should be in response to the changing times.
Japan’s pacifist constitution went into force in 1947 and has never been amended. Changes to the document must be approved by two-thirds of members of both houses of parliament and a majority in a national referendum.
If changes are proposed, attention will focus on Article 9 of the constitution which currently forever renounces war as “a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes.”
Abe didn’t indicate when he would file a motion for a vote in parliament or when he wanted to hold a national referendum.
“I would like to leave all related matters to the LDP,” he said.
With NK, the Chinese backed puppet, shooting nuke capable missiles, into the sea off Japan, why wouldn’t you want to rewrite the Constitution and get ready to bring out the Samurai spirit again?
Japan can be an excellent warrior and China and NK have pushed, this once proud nation, up against the ropes and it’s time for PUSH BACK.
This is exactly what China does not want, but the short sighted Xi, has promoted the ‘make China Great again’ theme, much too far.
Japan must re arm and must build nuclear weapons, for the same reasons as anyone else does.
What’s good for bully boy Xi the dicatator is good for Japan too.
When push comes to shove, my money is on check and balances, and at the moment Japan has both hands tied behind its back.
China’s acts of aggression, it’s focus on overseas posessions, like Taiwan and Hong Kong, its militarisation of coral atolls, mean only one thing.
China is on a military trajectory that only knows a very pointy head of an ICBM.
Japan awakes. and the eye of the Samurai Warrior. looks to protect its people.
Get up Japan and defend yourself now.