Faced with growing criticism, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday decided to scrap its draft outlines for constitutional amendments.

Intraparty critics balked at the content and compilation of the draft outlines, created by the LDP's Research Commission on the Constitution and released on Nov. 17.

Critics, in and outside the party, were especially unhappy that input on the revisions had been sought from a senior Ground Self-Defense Force officer.

LDP executives have decided to set up a new panel headed by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi by the end of this year. The panel will discuss amendments anew in preparation for the party's constitutional revision proposals to be announced next November.

The criticized committee was headed by former Defense Agency chief Gen Nakatani, who sought the opinions of the GSDF officer.

The LDP leadership plans to have a wide-ranging membership for the new Koizumi panel, from former party presidents and former speakers and presidents of both houses of the Diet, as well as young lawmakers.

Because of the change in the panel, it is expected to take until May or later to compile the new revision outlines.

The LDP had planned to announce the new outline proposals at the party convention on Jan. 18. But intraparty frustration had mounted over the way senior commission members took unilateral leadership in drafting them.

Upper House members of the LDP also rapped the draft outlines on grounds they would further strengthen the powers of the lower chamber.

The LDP has set the goal of announcing its final revision proposals next November to mark the 50th anniversary of the party's foundation.(IHT/Asahi: December 8,2004)