Abe clears decks for debate on amending Japan's Constitution
When the extraordinary Diet session convenes on Friday, 15 government-sponsored bills are expected to be submitted — one of the lowest totals since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's second stint started — reflecting his administration's determination to focus its energy on revising the Constitution. But coming ...
Japan's opposition parties join forces in bid to counterbalance ruling bloc in Diet
Japan's two major opposition parties agreed on Thursday to join forces in both houses of the Diet in their latest bid to counterbalance the ruling bloc in an upcoming extraordinary Diet session. The agreement to integrate parliamentary groups was reached at a meeting between Constitutional ...
Opposition parties accused Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of favoring his political allies rather than making merit-based appointments in his Cabinet reshuffle Wednesday, while also questioning the timing of the announcement given that parts of Kanto are still recovering from Typhoon Faxai. "It is a Cabinet ...
Former Upper House lawmaker Motohiro Ono beats ruling bloc-backed rival to become Saitama governor
With the support of four opposition parties, former Upper House lawmaker Motohiro Ono defeated on Sunday a candidate fielded by the ruling bloc in the Saitama gubernatorial election. The election, in which three other newcomers ran, was a de facto duel between Ono, a 55-year-old ...
CDP and DPP to 'join hands' in Japan's Diet in bid to thwart Abe's plans
In a move to counter the ruling bloc, Yukio Edano and Yuichiro Tamaki agreed Tuesday to merge their kaiha parliamentary groups in both houses of the Diet.
Head of Democratic Party for the People seeks constitutional debate not focused on Article 9
The opposition Democratic Party for the People wants to pursue discussions on constitutional reform but the discussion should not focus on the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's four-point proposal that includes changes to war-renouncing Article 9, party head Yuichiro Tamaki has said. In a recent interview, ...
A tug-of-war between the pro- and anti-revision forces has been playing out within the DPP, with leader Yuichiro Tamaki wavering between the two sides.
In a break from the usual rhetoric, Yukio Edano, leader of the largest opposition party in the Diet, is calling on smaller parties to join forces and form a larger joint parliamentary group within the Lower House to counter the overwhelming majority of the ...
DPP leader Tamaki proposes meeting with Abe to discuss revising Japan's Constitution
Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki on Thursday proposed a meeting to discuss constitutional reform with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. On an online broadcast program provided by Bunkajin Hosokyoku, Tamaki also said his party will accept Abe's proposal to hold debates on constitutional ...
Ahead of the Upper House election on Sunday, party leaders and executives were asked the main issues they want to raise with voters, including the economy, the pension system and constitutional revision. LDP Despite growing concerns triggered about the pension system by a recent government report, ...
Campaign kicks off for Japan Upper House poll, a litmus test for constitutional reform and tax hike
The focus will be on whether the LDP and other forces in favor of constitutional amendment will be able to retain their current two-thirds supermajority.
