On the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the promulgation of the Japanese Constitution on Nov. 3, the officials responsible for issues relating to the Constitution of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) and Komeito gave an interview to Yomiuri Shimbun.

LDP Headquarters for the Promotion of Revision to the Constitution Chairman Hakubun Shimomura proposed setting up a consultative body of all parties supporting constitutional revision.

Shimomura indicated his enthusiasm for free discussions on the LDP’s constitutional revision proposals on four issues at the Commissions on the Constitution during the current extraordinary Diet session. He said: “Proposals on issues other than the four presented by the LDP may come from the opposition parties. One option is to form a project team of parties in favor [of constitutional revision].”

Ikuo Yamahana and Takeshi Shina, chiefs of the CDPJ and DPFP research commissions on the constitution, respectively, demanded that priority be given to deliberating amendments to the National Referendum Law. Shina stated that his party’s position is to “pursue the vision of a future-oriented constitution” or shinken [progressive constitution]

Komeito constitution commission chief Kazuo Kitagawa advocated simultaneous deliberation of the LDP proposals in the Commissions on the Constitution and of the proposed amendments to the Referendum Law.