Japan Ruling Bloc Calls for Intensive Talks on Emergency Clause

Tokyo, April 16 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, on Thursday called for holding discussions focused on a proposed emergency clause for constitutional revision.

The two parties made the proposal at the day's meeting of the Commission on the Constitution in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament. The move reflects the ruling pair's aim to accelerate talks on constitutional amendment.

Among opposition parties, the Democratic Party for the People supported the proposal. Team Mirai also sounded positive.

The major opposition Centrist Reform Alliance expressed a cautious stance toward the ruling camp's plan to set up a panel to draft new constitutional clauses within the Lower House committee while stopping short of referring to the proposed intensive discussions on an emergency clause.

The emergency clause envisioned by the LDP-JIP coalition as a first step toward revising the Constitution would extend the terms of office of lawmakers and allow the cabinet to take legislative actions on behalf of the Diet in times of crises such as major disasters.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]