Abe is hoping that the coalition and a loose group of hawkish conservatives from smaller parties can grab a two-thirds majority in the upper house, giving him the strength to start amending the constitution.
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“We think the constitution is something that puts limits on power, but sadly, that’s not what the LDP’s (revised draft) does”, Yukio Edano, Democratic Party Secretary General, said on TV. While Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling party is seeking a mandate for his leadership by emphasizi…
“Especially since I see economic growth as the priority, I have little hope for the opposition parties”, said Yoshihiko Takeda, a 36-year-old employee of an IT company.
Japan voters headed to the polls today to cast their ballot in a Parliamentary election.
Gaining a super majority in both houses of parliament is the first requirement for changing the U.S.-imposed constitution, which hasn’t been modified since it was enacted in 1947.
The House of Councillors, as the upper house is formally known, is the less powerful chamber in Japan’s bicameral legislature, and half its seats come up for election every three years.
After eight days of vote counting, Liberal-National coalition has won 74 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives and Labor was at 66 seats with five seats still too close to call. Although “manga” animation and other events were used to woo young voters, results from early and absentee voting show turnout may be low.
But a majority of voters see no need to revise the constitution and the LDP’s dovish partner is reluctant to change its pacifist Article 9.
Katsuya Okada, head of the main opposition Democratic Party, separately told voters: “This is an important election, which is a watershed for Japan”.
Abe is expected to reshuffle his cabinet after the election. But I still voted for the LDP, because I don’t like the opposition parties either.
The constitution is deplored by nationalists as a relic from Japan’s World War II defeat.
Tetsuro Kato, professor of politics at Waseda University, said the election showed an opposition in shambles.
Sunday’s election is the first vote, in which people aged 18 and 19 years are allowed to vote, with the minimum voting age in Japan previously set at 20.
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Touching upon his long-held goal of constitutional revision, Abe said, “Whether or not the Constitution should be amended was not a major issue of the election”.
