The Lower House constitutional review committee met on Thursday, with each parliamentary group setting out which topics it wants taken up and how. The Liberal Democratic Party's Yoshitaka Shindo proposed concentrating debate on Article 9, the clause that renounces war.
"Discussion of Article 9 concerns the very foundations of national politics," Shindo said, arguing that focused debate would deepen the issues involved. It was the third time the committee has met this Diet session.
Shindo said the restrictions the Self-Defense Forces would face when acting in an emergency would be among the points at issue. Nippon Ishin no Kai also signaled it is open to debating Article 9.
The Democratic Party for the People's Yuichiro Tamaki objected, saying views on Article 9 differ inside the governing coalition. Komeito's Toru Kunishige called for progress on emergency provisions covering large-scale disasters and other contingencies, and said the interpretations that would serve as the starting point for any Article 9 discussion should first be sorted out.