I wonder why The Japan Times often carries the articles trying to define Japan as being less democratic than the United States or any other victors in the last war. This article is such an example as to give a false impression to the rest of the world that Japan has not matured in its democracy yet. As one must remember that Japan is not part of the United States or any other (although she still depends upon the United States for military deterrent to the growing threats around Japan), Japan should not be judged as if to say Japan is still controlled by the United States who imposed the current constitution at gunpoint less than a year after the war and before opening Tokyo Trials.
At any rate, the article titled "Japan's accountability crisis" has been written by a research associate at the United Nations University, Tokyo which is an extension of the United Nations that still regards Japan as an enemy state in its Chapter.
Japan's accountability crisis

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/eo20120725a2.html#.UBALLd5mRK0.twitter