The ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s push to make desecrating the national flag a criminal offense is reviving a long-running debate over the limits of political expression. The party’s joint policy panel on Monday approved a draft provision that would penalize those who publicly damage, remove or deface the Japanese flag in a manner deemed likely to cause “extreme discomfort or disgust to others.” Violators would face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to ¥200,000 ($1,250).