The Liberal Democratic Party intends to release their proposed new Japanese Constitution next month, at the party’s 50th anniversary. Until then, here’s a leaked version (with MFT’s rough translation) of the preamble:
日本国民はアジアの東、太平洋と日本海の波洗う美しい島々に、天皇を国民統合の象徴としていただき、和を尊び、多様な思想や生活信条をおおらかに認め合いつつ、独自の伝統と文化をつくり伝え、多くの試練を乗り越えてきた。
The Japanese people have, upon the beautiful wave washed islands of East Asia’s Sea of Japan, while taking the Emperor as the unifying symbol of the people and mangnanimously acknowledging diversity in thought and lifestyle, created and transmitted a distinctive culture and overcome a great number of trials.
日本国は、主権を持つ民主主義国家で、国政は国民の信託に基づき、国民の代表が担当し、その成果は国民が受ける。
The nation of Japan is a sovereign, democratic state whose government is based on the trust of the people, with which the people’s representatives are charged, and whose results are borne by the people.
日本国は、自由、民主、人権、平和、国際協調を国の基本として堅持し、国を愛する国民の努力によって国の独立を守る。
The nation of Japan maintains freedom, democracy, human rights, peace, and international cooperation as the fundamentals of the nation and protects its independence via the effort of a people who love their country.
日本国民は正義と秩序による国際平和を誠実に願い、他国とともに協力し合う。国際社会において、圧政や人権の不法な侵害をなくすため不断の努力を行う。
The Japanese people, faithfully wishing for an international peace based on justice and order, cooperate with other nations. In international society, [the Japanese people] will make persistent efforts to eliminate tyranny and the illegal violation of human rights.
日本国民は、自由とともに公正で活力ある社会の発展と国民福祉の充実を図り、教育の振興と文化の創造と地方自治の発展を重視する。自然との共生を信条に、美しく豊かな地球環境を守るため力を尽くす。
The Japanese people, for the fulfillment of a free, fair and vibrant society, emphasize the development of the promotion of education and the creation of culture. Making living as one with nature an article of faith, the Japanese people make every effort to protect the beautiful and bountiful global environment.
日本国民は、大日本帝国憲法および日本国憲法の果たした歴史的意味を深く認識し、現在の国民とその子孫が、世界の諸国民とともに、さらに正義と平和と繁栄の時代を内外につくることを願い、日本国の根本規範として自ら日本国民の名においてこの憲法を制定する。
The Japanese people, while deeply acknowledging the historical meaning of the Imperial Constitution of Japan and the Japanese Constitution, establish this Constitution in the name of themselves, the Japanese people, as the fundamental norm of the Japanese nation, while the present Japanese people and their progeny wish for the creation, both domestically and internationally, of a further just, peaceful, and prosperous era along with the various peoples of other nations.
