Japan: Abe seeks national referendum for amending the Constitution as early as late 2016

<p>Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Feb. 4 that it is "reasonable" to hold a national referendum on constitutional amendments, which could cover emergency situations and fiscal health, after the Upper House election in summer 2016, one of Abe's long sought-after goals.</p><p>If the process goes smoothly, a national referendum, which requires backing from at least two-thirds of members of both houses of the Diet, could be held as early as late 2016 or the first half of 2017.</p><p>It marked the first time that Abe distinctly referred to a time period suitable for a national referendum on amending the Constitution.</p>
Read the full article here: The Asahi Shimbun