Within the government and the LDP, there seems to be frustration over the limited effects of the measures that have been taken so far to tackle the virus.
Members of the Lower House Commission on the Constitution vote to pass a bill to amend the national referendum law during a session on May 6. (The Asahi Shimbun)
The Lower House Commission on the Constitution passed a bill on May 6 to revise the national referendum law to set detailed rules for a referendum on a constitutional amendment.
The passage came three years after the measure was submitted to the Diet by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito.
The bill was approved by the commission with the support of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People as well as the ruling coalition. The proposal is now set to pass the Diet during the current regular session.
Members of the Lower House Commission on the Constitution vote to pass a bill to amend the national referendum law during a session on May 6. (The Asahi Shimbun)
The Diet is expected to soon enact a bill to amend the national referendum law, paving the way for a possible national referendum on revising the Constitution.
The bill, which has been before the Diet for almost three years now, made significant progress after the ruling coalition agreed to opposition amendments, and the legislation cleared a parliamentary hurdle.
Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, met his counterpart in the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Tetsuro Fukuyama, at the Diet building on May 6.
Lawmakers called for debates to be held on amending the top law to include such a clause, at the first meeting of the Lower House Commission on the Constitution in this Diet session.
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