Executives of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday expressed support for the prospect of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe staying on for another term after 2021 in order to pursue his controversial goal of amending the Constitution.

Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso told a news conference that Abe should not leave to his successor the task of revising the supreme law, which proponents of revision say will clarify the legal status of the Self-Defense Forces, as none of the postwar LDP leaders have managed to stay in the job for long enough to achieve an amendment.

"Amending the Constitution is a founding principle of the Liberal Democratic Party. (Abe) has to prepare himself to do so on his own," said Aso, who doubles as finance minister.