George H.W. Bush: “I would be inclined to let Japan decide that by Japan's self, if you will. I wouldn't particularly like it if the…”

“I would be inclined to let Japan decide that by Japan's self, if you will. I wouldn't particularly like it if the Japanese Prime Minister told me what revisions we ought to have to the American Constitution. We're fighting that out all the time on the domestic scene. And I wouldn't like it. So I would butt out of that. I will say we salute Japan for what they did in the Diet the other day, which moved a little more forward towards, I guess, the position that this foundation has advocated. But I'd leave it there. I've always been a little bit constrained when it comes to intervening in the internal matters of another country. I can see why the question is addressed. Some have criticized Japan for not doing more, but they're coming along. They're feeling their way along, and, in my view, they were very supportive in terms of Desert Storm, not with troops but of fulfilling their obligations. They've been very supportive of host country matters when we have military presence over there. They've taken this step in the Diet. And we support that, salute that. And I would leave the pace of change strictly up to the Japanese themselves. They have constitutional problems. They've got a keen sense of history. And they'll figure it out. And I'll stand at their side and be supportive. Canada-U.S. Trade”