TOKYO, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two executives of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Tuesday suggested that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe extending his term could be a way for the party to achieve its contentious goal of amending the nation's pacifist constitution.
Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso said that amending Japan's pacifist charter is the LDP's "founding principle" and as such Abe should not leave the task to his successor.
"Amending the Constitution is a founding principle of the Liberal Democratic Party. Abe has to prepare himself to do so on his own," Aso, who doubles as finance minister, told a news conference on the matter.
Aso added, "If he has no other way, it is natural (for Abe) to come up with a way to deal with the matter."
The controversial notion was reiterated by LDP Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai who said separately that if Abe does not make enough progress on the issue before his current term expires in September 2021, then extending his term could be warranted.
The LDP, however, has already changed its rules to extend the duration of party leaders' tenure from two consecutive three-year terms, to three consecutive three-year terms, with the change coming into effect in 2017.
For Abe's term to be extended, the party would have to change its rules again, against a backdrop of opposition party resistance and public disapproval of the LDP's and Abe's legacy-led goal of amending Japan's pacifist charter for the first time since World War II.
