Former defense chief courts controversy by questioning Abe plan to revise Constitution

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should clarify the rationale behind his latest proposal to revise the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution because it contradicts a revised draft officially adopted by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, LDP heavyweight Shigeru Ishiba said in a recent interview with The Japan Times.

"LDP (lawmakers) have discussed Article 9 for more than 10 years, but I have never seen Mr. Abe say anything during a party meeting," said Ishiba, a former LDP secretary-general and defense minister.

"We have had heated discussions within the party that resulted in a revision draft of the Constitution by the LDP. First we need to understand (the contents of these past discussions)," he said.