Constitutional revision to gain momentum
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to take steps to revise Japan's postwar pacifist constitution, elated by his ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) sweeping victory in Sunday's upper house election. "I will focus efforts on putting together a bill that can be discussed in parliament," he said when asked about the constitutional revision.
According to NHK, Japan's only public broadcaster, Monday, the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito snatched a landslide win in the election. They obtained 76 seats ― 63 and 13 each ― among 125 up for grabs, extending their majority in the 248-member House of Councilors, which elects half of its entire lawmakers once every three years. The outcome is causing concerns over Japan's further inclination toward nationalism and conservatism.
The parties advocating for the constitutional amendment ― LDP, Komeito, the Japan Restoration Party and the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) ― gained 93 seats. Their total seats rose to 177, gaining a two-thirds supermajority of the upper house. The right-wing forces are believed to have gotten a boost from "sympathy votes" following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was shot to death by a gunman Saturday.
A constitutional amendment requires support from more than two-thirds of members in both the upper and lower chambers of the parliament with more than majority support in a national referendum. Abe had pushed relentlessly for the amendment. The LDP has also promised to raise defense spending, particularly prompted by NATO's plan to hike its member countries' defense budget to above 2 percent of GDP. Once implemented, Japan's defense outlays, which stand at the world's ninth, will climb to third following the United States and China.
The LDP has also pledged to strengthen Japan's capabilities to retaliate against possible missile attacks from nearby countries such as China and North Korea. Japan will have no more major elections for the next three years. The LDP is assessing this as a "golden period" to push for the constitutional amendment to turn Japan into a "normal" nation that can wage war with other countries. Japan plans to reshape national security strategies this year, which have remained unchanged since 2013.
Despite seemingly hawkish policies, Kishida has been regarded as "moderate" in the LDP, as he has been maintaining relatively dovish stances regarding the constitutional revision and defense issues. Now that Kishida can solidify his grip on power with the election victory, he stands a good chance to wield a freer hand in advancing his own policy agenda.
Japan's move toward a military buildup may help the county strengthen its alliance with the United States further. Yet, it is unlikely to contribute to improving relations with South Korea and China. The abrupt death of Abe should not be used as a means to make Japan turn further to the right. Tokyo should not forget the untold sufferings Imperial Japan inflicted upon Koreans and other Asians before and during World War II.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to take steps to revise Japan's postwar pacifist constitution, elated by his ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) sweeping victory in Sunday's upper house election. "I will focus efforts on putting together a bill that can be discussed in parliament," he said when asked about the constitutional revision.
According to NHK, Japan's only public broadcaster, Monday, the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito snatched a landslide win in the election. They obtained 76 seats ― 63 and 13 each ― among 125 up for grabs, extending their majority in the 248-member House of Councilors, which elects half of its entire lawmakers once every three years. The outcome is causing concerns over Japan's further inclination toward nationalism and conservatism.
The parties advocating for the constitutional amendment ― LDP, Komeito, the Japan Restoration Party and the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) ― gained 93 seats. Their total seats rose to 177, gaining a two-thirds supermajority of the upper house. The right-wing forces are believed to have gotten a boost from "sympathy votes" following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was shot to death by a gunman Saturday.
A constitutional amendment requires support from more than two-thirds of members in both the upper and lower chambers of the parliament with more than majority support in a national referendum. Abe had pushed relentlessly for the amendment. The LDP has also promised to raise defense spending, particularly prompted by NATO's plan to hike its member countries' defense budget to above 2 percent of GDP. Once implemented, Japan's defense outlays, which stand at the world's ninth, will climb to third following the United States and China.
The LDP has also pledged to strengthen Japan's capabilities to retaliate against possible missile attacks from nearby countries such as China and North Korea. Japan will have no more major elections for the next three years. The LDP is assessing this as a "golden period" to push for the constitutional amendment to turn Japan into a "normal" nation that can wage war with other countries. Japan plans to reshape national security strategies this year, which have remained unchanged since 2013.
Despite seemingly hawkish policies, Kishida has been regarded as "moderate" in the LDP, as he has been maintaining relatively dovish stances regarding the constitutional revision and defense issues. Now that Kishida can solidify his grip on power with the election victory, he stands a good chance to wield a freer hand in advancing his own policy agenda.
Japan's move toward a military buildup may help the county strengthen its alliance with the United States further. Yet, it is unlikely to contribute to improving relations with South Korea and China. The abrupt death of Abe should not be used as a means to make Japan turn further to the right. Tokyo should not forget the untold sufferings Imperial Japan inflicted upon Koreans and other Asians before and during World War II.
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