Increased support for child-rearing and recovery from recent powerful earthquakes in Kyushu will be the pillars of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's manifesto for the Upper House election this summer, party lawmakers said Sunday.

The LDP manifesto for the House of Councilors' election will refer to revising the Constitution, a goal pushed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who doubles as LDP president, but the party is unlikely to include it as a key campaign pledge, the lawmakers said.

The LDP thus intends to play down the issue to avoid making it a central theme, and instead shift public attention to issues connected to social welfare.