Japan PM Abe pledges constitution change amid scandal
Team Udayavani, Mar 25, 2018, 2:07 PM IST
Tokyo: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed today to press on with his controversial move to amend Japan’s pacifist constitution, undeterred by a political scandal that has dented his popularity. Abe’s political capital is dwindling due to a widening scandal over the cut-price sale of government land to one of his supporters, with the opposition suggesting his wife Akie may have played a role.
The scandal worsened when finance ministry bureaucrats admitted altering official records of the sales, erasing references to Abe and his wife as well as other political figures. “I will thoroughly investigate and show the whole picture of what happened,” Abe told the annual meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
“And I will fulfil my duty by rebuilding the (government) organisation so that this will not happen again,” he said, reiterating his resolve to stay in power. Abe has denied any involvement by him or his wife in the case but protesters have staged rallies across the nation. His approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since his return to power at the end of 2012.
National attention is turning to parliamentary testimony scheduled for Tuesday by Nobuhisa Sagawa, formerly the head of the finance ministry department that oversaw the land deal. Despite his fading popularity, Abe told the party gathering he was committed to changing the constitution, imposed by the United States on the defeated nation after World War II.
Abe said he wants to end the debate over the constitutionality of Japan’s military, officially known as the Self-Defence Forces (SDF). The constitution says Japan renounces war and will not maintain land, sea or air forces. Scholars have long argued about whether the existence of the SDF is constitutional.
The military is well regarded by the general public, and there is widespread acceptance of the government’s traditional view that they should be used only for self-defence. Abe, however, in 2015 expanded the role of the Japanese forces to include the defence of friendly nations, prompting protests from scholars and voters alike that the change violated the constitution. “Now is the time to reform the constitution,” said Abe. “Let us end this unconstitutionality debate.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
China says talks on Tibet only with Dalai Lama’s representatives; rules out dialogue on autonomy
Indian-origin man shot, killed by San Antonio police amid attempts to apprehend him
2 Indian restaurants in Colorado duped investors of USD 380K: Officials
WATCH: 5 runaway military horses cause mayhem in London
Don’t blame Dubai’s freak rain on cloud seeding
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Patanjali Foods to evaluate proposal to buy Patanjali Ayurved’s non-food business
Congress to discuss candidates for Amethi, Raebareli seats on Saturday
BJP’s CT Ravi Booked for Promoting Hatred and Enmity Through Social Media Post
Elections held in 14 LS segments in Karnataka, voter turnout nearly 64 per cent till 5 pm
‘PM is scared, may even shed tears on stage’: Rahul Gandhi’s fresh salvo at Modi