Japan's 'First Step Toward Constitutional Revision' Referendum Law Amendment Passes National Assembly After 3 Years

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] NHK and other broadcasters reported that the revision bill of the national referendum law, considered the first step toward amending the Japanese Constitution, passed the National Diet on the 11th. It took three years since its submission.

According to the report, the revision bill was approved in the House of Councillors plenary session on the afternoon of the same day with the majority support of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), its coalition partner Komeito, and the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party. The revision includes provisions to improve the convenience of national referendums on constitutional amendments by allowing the establishment of "joint polling stations" in commercial facilities or train stations.

This revision bill was submitted by the LDP and others in June 2018. Although opposition parties strongly opposed it and the Diet's deliberations did not progress quickly, the bill passed during this regular Diet session after the ruling and opposition parties agreed to include a supplementary provision aiming to take legislative measures regarding national referendum advertising regulations "within three years after enforcement."

The bill first passed the House of Representatives on the 11th of last month and then passed the House of Councillors' Constitutional Committee on the 9th.

With the passage of the bill in the House of Councillors plenary session, completing the Diet's deliberation process on the national referendum law revision, the LDP plans to accelerate discussions on constitutional amendment. Hiroshi Moriyama, LDP Diet Policy Committee Chairman, told reporters on the day, "It is important to conduct thorough discussions in the Diet on the specific contents of constitutional amendment."

In Japan, constitutional amendment bills are proposed with the consent of two-thirds or more of all members in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, and must be approved by a majority in a national referendum to be established. The LDP is promoting constitutional amendment in the direction of explicitly stating the existence of the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9 of the Constitution. The LDP is known to present constitutional amendment as one of the main pledges in the House of Representatives election this fall.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.