By Eri Furukawa

Recently, the political situation in Japan is extremely disturbing with the greatest symbolic event being Prime Minister Abe's sudden resignation. The government has many issues to face, for example, the problem of unpaid pension benefits, economic disparity, the abduction issue, and the new anti-terrorism special measures law. These problems are piling up and Japanese citizens feel uneasy.

Under these circumstances, the government and the Diet ought to go back to the constitution, the basic principles of the nation, and strive to make a better Japan where citizens can live safely. As a first step, Diet members should be required to read the constitution again. It would be best for them to read the reissued version of the manual titled The Story of The New Constitution (Dowaya, 2001, 300 yen).

This manual is a simplified version of a social studies textbook for first year junior high schools that was used from 1947 to 1952, and which was reprinted as a 77 page long book. The sentences are very simple and the price is very low. The contents are composed of Chapter 1: Constitution to Chapter 15: Supreme Laws. The contents unfold under short headings, so they can be read quickly. The government gave the original version to all students soon after WW��. Students first used this textbook in 1947, the year the Japanese constitution was born.

Yuko Kozono, a member of the Kanagawa Women's Association Against the War, wrote on the web site Kazuko Muraki's Information Files [http://www.geocities.jp/muraki_file/ata_ken/tx.html],

"The government...has held seminars for the popularization of the constitution in every prefecture since March (1947), which included some posters and pictures. In addition, they distributed a pamphlet explaining about its article to all households by the end of March."

She also wrote about the official celemony for promulgating the new constitution on May 3, 1947. "His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress performed an elaborate ceremony in front of the Imperial Palace...　The photograph where they are smiling at the people who surround them appears in many photograph collections related with the ceremony. Many glorious events to celebrate the new constitution seem to have been held in many parts of Japan."

At that time, the constitution of Japan was welcomed and well received by the government and the people. However, it didn't continue for a long time. In 1952, when the Korean War broke out, the Japanese government participated in the American government's strategy and tried to change the part about the renunciation of war in Article 9. The textbook, The Story of The New Constitution, vanished by government order. Since that time, a textbook that interprets the constitution clearly hasn't existed.

The Cabinet tried to amend the constitution again this year. Former Prime Minister Abe got the referendum bill passed by an overwhelming margin. Therefore, the Communist Party and the Article 9 Association--an organization that was established in 2004 and acts for the protection of peace--reacted severely against it when the bill passed. Why does the government try to change the constitution? Is it really not possible to continue without revising the present constitution?

There are other problems with the constitution. For instance, Article 25 in "Chapter 3: Rights and Duties of the People" states, "All people shall have a right to maintain the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living." However, in fact, there are many low wage workers living below the minimum standards set by the government.

Also, Article 26 provides that "All people shall have the right to receive an equal education correspondent to their ability, as provided by law." But, as a matter of fact, studies are only geared at passing entrance examinations. So, students don't really get an equal education. Thus, the constitution has a lot of problems.

Now, the current constitution might be changed for the worse by the government. Everyone should read The Story of New Constitution and keep a close eye on any attempts to change the constitution.