summary
The 24th regular election of members of the House of Councillors was held on Sunday 10 July 2016 to elect 121 of the 242 members of the House of Councillors, the upper house of the 717-member bicameral National Diet of Japan, for a term of six years. As a result of the election, the alliance configured by Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito party which is lead by the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has claimed victory, saying voters backed his economic policies.He fought his campaign on his economic record, but the sub-text of the election was the power to amend the constitution which is the change of Article 9. If the the upper house secures two-third majority to match that in the lower house, it is possible to hold a vote on constitutional change.
opinion
The voting age for national elections has been lowered to 18 from the current 20, from this upper house election. Thanks to this change, I went to the election for the first time. To be honest, the result of the election was expected, but at the same time, it was very surprising for me. If the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party win the upper house election and secures two-third majority to match that in lower house, it is possible to hold a vote on constitutional change of Article 9. This is an article so-called pacifism cause which forbibs Japan from fighting wars abroad. If the amend of Article 9 became true, there might be a day that we have to join the war. The constitutional of Japan is hold by the pacifism, one of the tree major principles. As being one of a jurist, I think the constitutional should not be amended.