(Yomiuri: February 28, 2016 – p. 4)

 Appearing on a BS Asahi program on Feb, 27, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Sadakazu Tanigaki took a positive stance on revising the second paragraph of Article 9 of the Constitution, which bans [the Self-Defense Forces (SDF)] from maintaining war potential. He said: “It is true that it is difficult for elementary school students to understand whether the SDF has military capability or not. It is important to make the Constitution understandable.”

 The LDP’s draft constitutional amendment drawn up in 2012 stipulates that Japan should possess the right of self-defense and a national defense army. In view of the fact that many constitutional scholars are of the opinion that the existence of the SDF is unconstitutional, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said on a TV Tokyo program on Feb. 27: “The basic elements of national security should be stipulated in a way that is easy to understand.”