Prime Minister Abe pushes for constitutional revision

The ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties on March 7 decided to forcibly hold a House of Representatives Constitutional Research Committee meeting under the authority of the committee chair, showing their strong zeal for a bill to establish procedures for constitutional revisions.

In the background of their hard-line stance is the repeated call of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo to enact the bill before May 3, Constitution Day.

At the March 5 House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting, Abe stated, 'We are engaged in politics not for the purpose of raising the support rate for the cabinet. We must do what we are determined to do; now is the time to carry out reforms that have been put off for 60 years.'

Taking a defiant attitude towards public criticism of the LDP policies concerning poverty, social inequality, and other issues, Abe intends to forcibly break the stalemate and reverse the declining support rate by putting greater emphasis on constitutional revision.

The ruling parties' stance of trying to ram the bill through the Diet is causing a rift in the joint effort made by the 'two major parties,' the LDP and the Democratic Party of Japan, to revise the Constitution.

Commenting on his party's refusal to discuss with the ruling parties about setting a schedule for committee meetings and public hearing, a DPJ Dietmember said, 'The main problem is that Prime Minister Abe is in the forefront in pushing for discussion on the bill.'

The bill is very undemocratic and unfair since it sets the hurdles for a constitutional revision as low as possible. It will allow a constitutional revision with a low approval rate, constrain teachers' and public servants' free speech, and give the well-resourced pro-constitutional revision forces an advantage by their ability to buy airtime.

If these defects become widely known to the public, the majority will oppose the bill.

JCP response: Abe undermines parliamentary democracy by attempting to push through bill to establish procedures for constitutional revision

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo in an NHK TV interview aired on March 11 reaffirmed his eagerness to get a bill to establish procedures for revision of the Constitution (national referendum bill) enacted in the current Diet session.

He said, 'The Constitution needs to be revised in order to establish the foundation of nation-building suitable for the 21st century. Therefore, the Diet should enact the national referendum bill as the first step.'

At the same time, he changed his hard-line stance of pursuing the enactment of the bill by May 3, Constitution Day, saying, 'I do not insist on the date.'

On the same day, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo at a press conference in Kochi City criticized Abe by stating, 'What we are witnessing is the head of the executive branch of government interfering in the business of the legislative branch by giving a command to enact the bill by May 3. With this, the prime minister is seriously undermining parliamentary democracy.'

'The bill to establish procedures for constitutional revision is inseparable from the adverse revision of Article 9 that will turn Japan into a nation willing and able to engage in wars abroad,' said Shii, adding, 'We firmly stand against the attempt to enact within a set time frame the bill which will give a huge advantage to pro-constitutional revision forces.'

Shii also said that taking the declining cabinet support rate into consideration, Abe is giving hawkish commands to keep his cabinet alive, but such a maneuver is causing contradictions in the ruling parties. Shii stressed that the task now is for the JCP to rapidly build up the momentum needed to block the bill, and stated, 'By strengthening the movement in opposition, the ruling parties' contradictions will deepen.'

In order to meet the prime minister's order to get the bill enacted by May 3, the ruling parties on March 8 attempted to forcibly hold a Lower House Special Committee meeting under the authority of its chair, but failed due to strong public criticism.

From Akahata