One morning in late April dozens of mothers, some with children, gathered at an Italian restaurant in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, hoping not only to dine, but also to learn what kind of future might await their children if the Constitution is amended.
During the two-hour event, dubbed "Constitution cafe," lawyer Keiko Ota, 37, explained the basic concepts behind the supreme law and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to reinterpret war-renouncing Article 9 so Japan can engage in collective self-defense.
She also examined the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's draft proposals to revise the Constitution.