Abe calls for deeper discussion on revising Japan's constitution during LDP's annual convention

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called Sunday for deeper discussion on revising Japan's pacifist Constitution as his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) held its annual convention.

The party, which marks its 60th anniversary this year, said in its strategy for 2015 that "it should never forget the goal held since its founding to revise the constitution."

The LDP will "promote a campaign to increase supporters" of its move to rewrite the supreme law, according to the strategy adopted at the event.

Abe, who launched his third Cabinet last December, also called for swift enactment of legislation to enable Japan to act collective self-defense right. Exercising the right to collective self-defense would entail Japan defending allies even when the country itself is not threatened.

On July 2014, Abe's Cabinet rubber-stamped a decision to lift the self-imposed ban on its collective self-defense, marking a major change of the country's exclusive defense oriented policy.

The move, violating Japan's postwar commitment to the world, has triggered strong oppositions both at home and aboard. But Abe wants to go further, seeking to revise the war-renouncing pacifist constitution step by step, which could have a destructive impact on Japan's future development and its relations with neighboring countries.

The Prime Minister also appealed for party unity to win the national local elections scheduled in April. Endi