2018: Rethinking the Peace Constitution
Die Verfassung Japans. Hate Speech
Quelle: The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus Volume 16 | Issue 5 | Number 2 | Feb 19, 2018
http://apjjf.org/
We, the Japanese People: Rethinking the Meaning of the Peace Constitution
C. Douglas Lummis
Abstract
From a political perspective, a constitution can be seen not only as a promulgation of basic law, but also as a political act: a seizure of power. Most modern constitutions in the tradition of the Magna Carta (though not those promulgated by dictators) aim to seize power from kings and/or aristocrats and place it under the limits of law. The Constitution of Japan was also such a power seizure, carried out by a short-lived alliance between The US Occupation forces and (a part of) the Japanese people. Thus it should not be surprising that the Japanese political class sees it as having been “forced on” them. That’s what good constitutions do. Almost from the time it was ratified, Japanese conservatives have been trying to promote constitutional revision that would return the country to something closer to the authoritarian condition it was under during the reign of the Meiji Constitution. This is going on as this is being written, so one can only speculate how it will turn out...
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