Born in 1949, baby boomer Setsu Kobayashi thanks the postwar Constitution for the freedom, peace and democracy Japan has enjoyed since its debut.

But the constitutional professor at Tokyo's Keio University said Japan should now modify its fundamental principles, which took effect May 3, 1947, to adapt to current social realities that were not envisaged 60 years ago when the charter was drawn up.

Kobayashi said the Constitution should now make protecting the environment and people's privacy mandatory, and guarantee public access to government information.