If the Liberal Democratic Party succeeds in rewriting the Constitution, it would severely scale back fundamental human rights and strip the public of various civil liberties, a prominent constitutional scholar warns.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, while focusing for now on his economic policies, looks set on pushing his pet project of constitutional reform once next month's Upper House election race is over, in line with a comprehensive amendment proposal announced by the LDP in April 2012.
Reform proponents say the changes are necessary because the 67-year-old Constitution, drafted by the U.S.-led Occupation following the surrender in World War II, does "not reflect the free will of the Japanese people," as described in a Q&A document prepared by the LDP along with the draft.