A year in the (short) life of Japan's Cabinet
Early each year, Law of the Land likes to reflect on what one of Japan's three branches of government did the previous one. This time we'll look at the surprisingly durable Shinzo Abe habitat known as the Cabinet. First, lawyerly foreplay: definitions. What is the ...
Abe explains uncompromising stance on inserting 'explicit SDF mention' in Article 9
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is reluctant to compromise on the substance of constitutional amendments, emphasizing his commitment to the ambitious goal of altering the war-renouncing Article 9.
Rex Tillerson raises specter of U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil to pressure Maduro
The United States is considering restricting imports of Venezuelan crude oil and exports of U.S. refined products to Venezuela, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Sunday, to put pressure on socialist President Nicolas Maduro to "return to the constitution." "One of the aspects ...
Abe disagrees with LDP calls to largely rewrite war-renouncing Article 9
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated Tuesday that he disagrees with some calls from members of his Liberal Democratic Party to seek changes to the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution that go beyond his own proposal first made last May. Abe proposed adding to the ...
Proposed Kibo no To policy criticizes Abe-backed security laws, but conservative members may balk
The leadership of Kibo no To (Party of Hope) on Friday proposed to rank-and-file members that the opposition party strongly criticize the controversial 2015 security laws pushed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a senior member and media reports said. The new policy, proposed during a ...
Abe pledges more robust defense strategy for Japan in annual policy speech to lawmakers
Abe talked tough on defense while easing off from his usual praise for South Korea following the recent flap over the 2015 “comfort women” agreement.
Constitutional revision, casinos and labor reform top Japan's agenda as Diet prepares to open
After months of turmoil over a snap election, opposition realignment and stalled legislative progress, this year's regular Diet session was scheduled to kick off Monday. The five-month-long process will see the nation's lawmakers discuss a slew of important bills in detail for the first time ...
Alliance negotiations between two Japanese opposition parties break down
Talks between the Democratic Party and Kibo no To on forming an alliance in the Diet end Wednesday amid strong opposition from rank-and-file lawmakers on both sides.
Japanese opposition parties DP and Kibo no To agree to join forces
Opposition parties Kibo no To and the Democratic Party strike a deal to team up against the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan in the Diet.
Opposition to Abe's amendment quest hits 55%; support for Article 9 rewrite falls: survey
A survey finds that opposition to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s plan to revise the Constitution is rising, with support for rewriting war-renouncing Article 9 on the wane.
The autonomous powers of Japan's prefectures and municipalities remain insufficient.
Scholar plumbs postwar polls to challenge Japanese Constitution 'myths'
Shiro Sakaiya is an associate professor of political science at Tokyo Metropolitan University. His study has recently drawn keen attention from scholars and media people, as the constitutional revision advocated by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to dominate the Japanese political scene throughout ...
