Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara said Tuesday that the Constitution should be amended to recognize the rights of foreign nationals settled in Japan on a long-term basis.
Speaking at a meeting to commemorate Constitution Day hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Ishihara reiterated his view before some 500 Tokyo citizens that many points in the Constitution are behind the times.
In addition to the rights of foreign nationals, the right to live in a healthy, natural environment and the right to privacy in the increasingly computerized information society should be stated in the Constitution, Ishihara said.
He argued that the Constitution should clearly state that private property ownership can be limited for public benefit while holding on to its principle that sovereignty rests with the people.
"We should at least add lines to make up for insufficient points," he said.