Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in a policy speech in his first regular Diet session as prime minister, pitched his top political goal -- changing Japan's postwar regime and revising the Constitution. But just what kind of nation he wants to build through such endeavors is not necessarily clear. In the short run, he apparently is trying to make constitutional revision an issue of contention in the July Upper House election campaign, in which a fierce battle is expected between his Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan.
Assailing Japan's postwar system, Mr. Abe said, "It is now clear that the basic framework, such as the administrative system, education, the economy, employment, relations between the central and local governments, diplomacy and security, with the Constitution at its apex, will not be able to keep up with great changes in the 21st century."
He called for deepening discussions on revision of the Constitution and expressed the strong hope that the Diet, in its current session, will pass a law concerning procedures for a national referendum needed for constitutional revision. He declared that "The time has come to boldly review the postwar regime by going back to its starting point and sail out anew."