TOKYO, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Japan's lower house passed a bill that sets procedures to amend the Japan's Constitution, after it was endorsed by a special committee of House of Representatives a day earlier.

    The bill, proposed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition ally New Komeito party, is viewed as a necessary step to rewrite Japan's pacifist Constitution.

    It proposes that referendum be held only for the purpose of constitutional revision and with eligible voters being Japanese citizens aged 18 and older.

    Japan's Constitution states its amendment will be initiated by parliament through a concurring vote of two-thirds in both the lower and upper houses and then be presented to the people for endorsement by a majority vote in a referendum. However, no legislation setting rules for such a referendum has been established.

    Japan's war-renouncing Constitution has not been revised since it came into effect in 1947. According to local reports, the ruling camp is seeking to have the bill clear the upper house as soon as possible.