Seoul urges Tokyo to stick to its peace constitution

South Korea called on Japan Monday to comply with the basic ideology of its peace-promoting constitution as Tokyo is making legal efforts to beef up its military might.

Japan is moving to amend its post-war constitution in order to strengthen its military, whose capacity is now confined mainly to self-defense activities. The pacifist constitution, written after the country’s defeat in World War II, prohibits Japan’s rearmament as well as the deployment of its forces abroad.

“We are repeatedly demanding that discussions (about strengthening defense power) in Japan should be carried out transparently and in compliance with the basic ideology of the peace constitution and also in a way that they contribute to the peace and stability of the region,” the Foreign Ministry said in a report submitted to the National Assembly’s special committee aimed at helping fight the distortion of Japan’s history.

Parliament established the special committee to counter Japan’s distortion of history as the nationalistic Abe administration in Japan has made a flurry of remarks in an attempt to whitewash its atrocities over its past colonial rule of countries, including South Korea.

“Our government’s stance is that Japan’s discussion about its defense policy or constitutional revision should be done in a way they help allay skepticism and worry among neighbors,” according to the ministry report.

The ministry expects that the Abe administration may continue to push for a constitutional revision although it will be difficult to do so because of strong public opposition, according to the report.

Facing difficulties also at parliament, the administration has recently changed its course toward making new constitutional interpretation in favor of the military intensification plan, it also said.

The Abe government may find it difficult to fulfill the plan by the end of this year as it wishes due to opposition from the public as well as opposition forces in parliament, the report said. (Yonhap News)