The Democratic Party of Japan continues its efforts to transform Japanese political practice toward greater congruence with formal demands of the Constitution. Secretary-General Ichiro Ozawa is plotting strategy for a major reform bill, described here, that would reduce the power of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau to appear in the Diet. As a corrolary this would reduce its power to offer authoritative interpretations of constitution. These interpretations have been crucial in adjusting constitutional understandings of the famous anti-war Article Nine.
Thanks to Craig Martin, who has some good writing on the constitutional issues surrounding Japan’s Article Nine available here.