Japan Lower House Commission OKs Referendum Reform Bill

Tokyo, June 18 (Jiji Press)–A commission of Japan’s House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, or parliament, on Thursday passed a bill to revise the law on national referendums for amending the Constitution. At a meeting of the Lower House Commission on the Constitution, the bill was approved by a majority vote with support from the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling camp and some opposition groups, including the Centrist Reform Alliance, the Democratic Party for the People and Team Mirai. The Japanese Communist Party voted against the bill. Cosponsored by the LDP, its coalition partner, Japan Innovation Party, the DPFP and Sanseito, the bill is designed to align the requirements for the appointment of referendum watchers with those in public office elections. The bill is expected to be sent to the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, after clearing the Lower House at a plenary meeting Friday. The ruling bloc aims to realize the enactment during the current Diet session ending July 17. The opposition CRA earlier considered submitting an amendment to the bill, saying there was a need to specify regulations on commercials for or against constitutional amendments. However, the CRA abandoned the idea as it failed to reach an agreement with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito in the Upper House. The CRA, created by politicians who belonged to the two parties, only exists in the Lower House. The CRA instead submitted a supplementary resolution calling on the government to take necessary measures to regulate political campaign commercials and internet use related to national referendums, together with political parties other than the Japanese Communist Party. The Lower House commission passed the resolution by a majority vote. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]