The Liberal Democratic Party has published a new manga targeted at younger voters that argues the pacifist Constitution should be revised because it was hastily written in just eight days — by foreigners.
The comic book, released late last month and entitled “Honobono Ikka no Kenpo Kaisei tte Nani” (“The Honobono (Warm) Family Asks: What are Constitutional Revisions?”), calls into question the usefulness of a Constitution written by Americans whose main purpose, it says, was to “make Japan powerless” 70 years ago.
At one point in the story, the characters, initially unaware of the charter’s origin, hear the story of its creation and lament Japan continuing as a “defeated nation.”
“It’s as if our neighbors are making the rules for our house,” one character says.
I – Word Understanding
hastily- in a hurry
lament – to express deep sadness, regret or unhappiness
II – Have Your Say
A. The manga is divided into 4 separate story lines:
1 – “Why revise the constitution?”
2 – 3 – explain the consequences and result of revising the constitution;
– how a referendum would work
4 – “Let’s think about it together”
B.The comic argues that Japan faces the world’s most difficult process in changing its charter. Other countries have changed their constitutions:
– Germany 60 times
– France 27 times
– South Korea 9 times
– USA 6 times
341 LDP produces manga to make case for constitutional revision
