Abe starts New Year showing obsession with constitutional revision

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Abe starts New Year showing obsession with constitutional revision

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo displayed considerable enthusiasm for revising the Constitution at the beginning of New Year.

On January 4, Abe in his New Year's press conference stated, "I am willing to call for the Constitution to be changed in the House of Councilors election scheduled for this summer."

It is believed that by putting up the issue of constitutional revision in view of the Upper House election, the prime minister intends to add an "Abe color" to the Liberal Democratic Party election campaign amid the widespread criticism over his noncommittal attitude.

Abe's aggressive remarks are also stimulated by collaborative efforts of the ruling LDP and Komei Party and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan concerning a national referendum bill that will pave the way for the constitutional revision. Both sides have reportedly almost reached an agreement on revising respective bills that will allow them to jointly support the bill.

Last May, the ruling parties and the DPJ each submitted to the Diet bills to establish procedures for a national referendum on constitutional revision, and no essential differences existed between the two. Last December they agreed with the broad outline of a referendum bill by revising their drafts.

On January 1, Prime Minister Abe declared his determination to get a national referendum bill passed through the Diet in the next ordinary session.

The other factor that is promoting Abe's enthusiastic attitude is Japan's relation with the U.S.

At the press conference on January 4, Abe stated, "It is necessary to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance" to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to fight against terrorism. He again expressed his willingness to revise security-related laws and to promote research endorsing the exercise of the right of collective self-defense that will allow Japan to use force abroad.

It is clear that the constitutional revision is aimed at turning Japan into a nation capable of fighting wars abroad with the U.S.

However, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo in the report to the JCP Central Committee 3rd Plenum stated, "Abe's policy to follow the U.S. and to revise the Constitution is aggravating contradictions with the general public and runs counter the world current demanding peace not war."
- Akahata, January 8, 2007