Japan's LDP wants to change Constitution to explicitly refer to SDF: Kyodo

Описание: Japan's Liberal Democratic Party is reportedly considering introducing a new clause under Article 9 of the Constitution
The ruling party wants to make the country's Self-Defense Forces an organization which allows the "minimum force necessary for self-defense."
Ro Aram reports.
Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported on Thursday that the envisioned new section is in line with a proposal made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Abe wants to revise the war-renouncing article of the supreme law to explicitly state that the existence of the SDF cannot be deemed unconstitutional.
Article 9 is the most contentious clause which says the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.
However, Kyodo says the LDP is proposing that a change be made to include that the existing provision must not be interpreted to prevent the creation of the SDF.
It also reportedly wants the amendment to state that the prime minister will have command over the SDF, and that the SDF's actions will be subject to parliamentary approval and civilian control.
The LDP is pushing to get the Diet's consent on the proposal by the end of the year so that a referendum can be held by as early as 2018 and reform implemented by 2020.
However, it is likely to face hurdles as most of the Japanese public want to keep the country's pacifist constitution.
Ro Aram, Arirang News.