Last June, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi created an advisory panel on his proposal aimed at empowering the public -- not lawmakers as at present -- to directly elect the premier. The group is expected to come up with recommendations on the plan by next summer.
Koizumi says the Constitution must be revised to implement his challenging proposal, which he seeks to exploit to maintain his political momentum.
The advisory group is expected to discuss three models regarding Koizumi's proposal. The first would make the prime ministership more independent of the legislature, like the U.S. presidency. The second would reform the present system of picking the prime minister from among Diet members. These two models would require constitutional amendments. The third model, in opposition to Koizumi's proposal, would leave the Constitution unchanged.