Japan marks 69th anniversary of Constitution as Abe seeks amendments

Japan marked the 69th anniversary of its Constitution on Tuesday, with a turning point possibly approaching as the upper house election in the summer will prove critical to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's goal of amending it, according to Kyodo News.

Abe has pushed for constitutional changes, including a controversial revision to the war-renouncing Article 9, saying that the current supreme law is a product of the U.S.-led occupation following the end of World War II in 1945 and that it is outdated in some areas. The Constitution was promulgated on Nov. 3, 1946, and put into effect on May 3, 1947.

While the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition ally Komeito together hold a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, another overwhelming victory for them in the House of Councillors election would be a key step toward a first-ever postwar constitutional revision.

Source: MENA