U.S. places high hopes on expanded SDF role

U.S. places high hopes on expanded SDF role

Vice Adm. Robert Thomas (L), commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, and Vice Adm. Eiichi Funada, commander of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force fleet, hold a joint press conference on the deck of the USS Blue Ridge in Yokohama southwest of Tokyo on March 31, 2015. Thomas welcomed Japan's planned security legislation that will expand the scope of overseas operations by the Self-Defense Forces. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Major parties submit bill to lower voting age to 18 next year

Major parties submit bill to lower voting age to 18 next year

Hajime Funada (L), a senior member of the House of Representatives from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, submits to Shinji Mukoono, head of the lower house's secretariat, a bill seeking to amend the electoral law to lower the voting age for national elections to 18 from the current 20 at the Diet building in Tokyo on March 5, 2015. Six ruling and opposition parties jointly submitted the bill. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

LDP discusses constitutional change schedule

LDP discusses constitutional change schedule

Hajime Funada (C), head of the Liberal Democratic Party's taskforce to promote constitutional change, speaks during a meeting in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2015, to discuss the issue of amending the supreme law. Funada and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have agreed that a constitutional change should be proposed following an upper house election to be held in the summer of 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

LDP lawmakers unveil cartoon pamphlet on constitutional revision

LDP lawmakers unveil cartoon pamphlet on constitutional revision

Hajime Funada (L), head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's team promoting constitutional revision, unveils a cartoon pamphlet stressing the need for amending the Japanese charter. The party plans to distribute the 64-page pamphlet during street campaigns to raise awareness among young people of what it views as problems with the Constitution. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo