May 3rd is Constitution Memorial Day in Japan, which took effect on this day in 1947. This day has been celebrated every year. I was taught that this constitution was perfect and much better than the former one. It declares strongly that Japan renounces the sovereign right of the State to use war as a means of settling international disputes. Japan is the country that never wages war. I had been proud of this constitution until several years ago, when I investigated by myself how it had been drawn up.
At the beginning of the Meiji Era, some politicians struggled to make up the Japanese constitution. They took years to look around the developed countries and do research into the constitutions of those countries. I learned of this process in my history class, whereas the process of drawing up the present Constitution was ambiguous in compulsory education. I tried to find out who drew it up and was surprised to discover that it was several officers from the U.S. who drew it up. They were rank amateurs. Since then, this constitution has been preserved untouched for more than 60 years. Incredible! Japan has developed from its devastated status during this 60 years. This outdated constitution has become the obstacle for many activities now. I feel the necessity of modifying it. I'm writing about this issue later.
(Vocabulary)
renounce = give up (公式に) 〈権利・地位など〉 を放棄する, 断念する
draw up （計画などを）起草する
rank 《[名]の前でのみ》(けなして) まったくの, ひどい
a rank amateur ずぶの素人
５月３日は憲法記念日だ。１９４７年に発効した。この憲法は完璧なもの、紛争解決手段としての戦争を放棄したもので、世界に類を見ない平和憲法であると教えられてきた。果たしてそうなのだろうか？
明治の初め、一部の政治家達は日本の憲法を作るために奮闘していた。先進国を見て回り、何年もの期間をそれに費やした。この過程は歴史の時間に習ったことである。しかし、現行憲法に関してはその生い立ちに関してほとんど教えられていない。誰が起草したものか、個人的に調べてみて驚いた。進駐軍のほんの一部の将校が、ずぶの素人が、書いたものである。そしてそれから６０年間、全く手を加えられていないのだ。信じられなかった。日本は荒廃した戦後を生き抜き、今や世界の一等国となっているのに。現在、この古くさい憲法が多くの活動の足かせとなっている。修正が必要である。後日この点についてまた考えてみたい。
Oh yeah I learned about that in history class! There are probably several applicational constraints with a constitution framed by amatuers.
Posted by: Jessi Y. | May 08, 2009 at 06:23 AM