KYOTO — Despite calls in some quarters that the Constitution is foreign-imposed and not compatible with traditional Japanese customs, the past 50 years has shown that its provisions are desired by the majority of the people.
That is the opinion of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who was speaking before 1,000 students and scholars Monday at Doshisha University in Kyoto.
"The Japanese Constitution is fundamentally accepted by the Japanese public," O'Connor said. "At the same time, it does provide for the public welfare as a whole, and such provisions can be seen as limitations on individual rights."
O'Connor noted that the Japanese Supreme Court has made a number of historical rulings lately.
"Rulings regarding the unconstitutionality of textbook censorship in Japan upheld freedom of speech and are similar to rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court," she said.
O'Connor was invited to the Doshisha University American Studies Center. She was to visit the Supreme Court Tuesday before returning to Washington later this week.