The second-largest faction in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Monday proposed holding a national referendum on constitutional revision before the Upper House election next summer — a move apparently designed to generate political momentum to revise war-renouncing Article 9.
The proposal was made by the faction led by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received the proposal from former economic policy minister Akira Amari at the Prime Minister's Office. Both are long-time allies of the prime minister.