Japan's Neonationalist Offensive and the Military

Japan's Neonationalist Offensive and the Military by John Junkerman January 03, 2007

When Abe Shinzo was installed as prime minister in September 2006, there was some concern that he would push into high gear the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's proposal (announced in November 2005) to revise Japan's constitution and gut the no-war provisions of Article 9. He is, after all, known as a strong supporter of revision and often boasts that he inherited the DNA of his grandfather Kishi Nobusuke, who began pushing for revision of the constitution in the early 1950s. Kishi created a constitution review commission in the Diet (which proved fruitless) while he himself became prime minister later in that decade. Abe is eager to bring his grandfather's, and the LDP's, dream to fruition.
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