Discussions on amending the Constitution have been resumed by the Diet panels on the issue for the first time since the July Upper House election gave Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition and other pro-revision forces the two-thirds majority in both Diet chambers needed to initiate an amendment for approval by a national referendum. While Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party seek to seize the opportunity to make the first revision to the nation's supreme law since it was introduced in 1947, no political consensus has emerged as to which part of the Constitution needs to be changed and why — even among the parties that favor amendment.

As far as media surveys show, there doesn't seem to be any pressing broad-based public calls for specific amendments. Abe, who openly calls for revising the Constitution while he is in office, says it is the "duty of Diet members" to propose a draft amendment to the people. But the Constitution should not be amended for the sake of amendment based on the political window of opportunity that the Diet majority of his ruling coalition and its allies offer. Lawmakers on the Diet panels should not rush their discussions — the Constitution is the foundation of the nation's governance system and people's lives — much less try to force a partisan decision on majority strength.

The Diet Commissions on the Constitution have been effectively dormant for much of the years since they were set up in 2007 after the law setting the procedure for national referendums was enacted during Abe's first stint as prime minister. The panels, comprising lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties, are in the limelight now that Abe and his allies have secured enough Diet seats to propose an amendment. The LDP wants to draw the reluctant opposition into discussions on the specifics of possible amendments by restarting the panels.