BACK TO SQUARE ONE?

A new and armied constitution has always been the aim of the LDP [Living Dinosaur Party; world's longest single party rule], it's in their charter; all that's needed now is an economic depression. According to the Japan Times:

A Liberal Democratic Party panel is considering restricting such basic freedoms as that of assembly and expression [i. e., you and me] in its draft proposal for a new Constitution, sources said Monday.

A memo submitted to the subcommittee Thursday, says, "It should be permissible by law to restrict or ban the publication or sale of books that have a detrimental effect on young people's upbringing" -- an apparent reference to obscene books or videos. [They don't seem to know much about young people (or the internet)...]

It also says "there should be restrictions on the forming of associations whose aim is to gravely damage the state or social order." [That should give the LDP sufficient free reign...]

Further, the paper emphasizes the obligations of citizens to defend the country [draft], protect their families [from government?] and the environment [LDP favors nuclear power, dammed rivers, concreted countryside], and respect life, even at the expense of individual freedoms. [And exactly what ominously unspecified freedoms might those be?]

Full story with thanks to Nevin.

Doesn't look like things are going to get any better...

Note to self: start looking for another planet...