Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2016 April 13 - 19 [POLITICS]

Abe Cabinet spokesman expresses his intent to use powerful Kyushu quakes as reason for constitutional revision

Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide on April 15 indicated the need to revise the Constitution to one including an emergency clause in his comment on a powerful earthquake that hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southeastern Japan.

At a press conference on this day, Suga said, “The need is to incorporate in the Constitution provisions regarding roles that the state authorities and the general public should play in protecting people’s safety in the event of an emergency such as a massive natural disaster like the one which occurred in Kyushu.”

However, there is no need for constitutional revision, because already under the current Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act, the central government is able to exercise various authorities in the event of emergency, including an authority to issue emergency regulations.

Past related articles:
> Abe eyes right to impose dictatorship in emergency [January 15, 2016]
> Abe wants ‘emergency clause in Constitution’ to smooth way for more constitutional revisions [January 6, 2016]