The Democratic Party (DP) has decided to include “restrictions on the prime minister’s power to dissolve the House of Representatives,” “the right to know,” and “the relationship between national and local governments” as constitutional revision proposals in its campaign pledges for the Lower House election expected to take place in October.

The party will hold an informal general meeting of Diet members on Sept. 22 to present the outline of its campaign pledges.

The DP is critical of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s plan to dissolve the Lower House at the beginning of the extraordinary Diet session, so it is taking up the issue of power to dissolve the Lower House as a point of contention with the Liberal Democratic Party.

President Seiji Maehara told a news conference on Sept. 21: “We will boldly take part in the constitutional debate.”