Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pitched his plans Thursday to revise the Constitution while he is in office, vowing to get voters to support his goals via the House of Councilors election in July.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>During his first news conference this year, Abe, whose Cabinet has seen its public support rate dwindle since its September inauguration, noted that 2007 is the year of the boar, an animal renowned for its strength to push forward, and said he is ready to charge ahead, too.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'I would like to mark this year as the first year for building a beautiful country,' the conservative leader said at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. 'I would like to reconfirm Japan's good qualities, magnificence and beauty this year.'</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>One of the Cabinet's main objectives for this year, Abe said, is to pass a referendum bill during the Diet session expected to start Jan. 25 that will lay down procedures to revise the Constitution. Amendments must be approved by a referendum, but the legal framework for such a vote has yet to be established.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'Sixty years have passed since the enactment of the Constitution,' Abe said. 'Now is the time to clarify –

intention to create a new Constitution for a new era."

Collective defense, an activity prohibited under the government's interpretation of the Constitution, is also an issue that needs to be studied further, he added.

Abe stressed his hope that the ruling coalition suffers no setbacks in the summer Upper House poll. At present, the governing Liberal Democratic Party lacks a majority, holding only 111 out of the 242 seats in the chamber. It has managed to maintain a majority by its partnership with New Komeito, which has 24 seats.

Critics, however, have pointed out the possibility that the LDP will struggle and may even be stung in the July election.