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In a statement on Thursday marking the 60th anniversary of Japan¡¯s constitution, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for a revision of the country¡¯s pacifist constitution, saying he wished a comprehensive dialogue could take place on the matter. Last month, Japan¡¯s ruling camp--the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito - passed a national referendum bill at the Lower House that aims to put to popular vote a constitutional amendment proposal that was ratified by the Diet. If that bill is passed by the Upper House, then the legal preparations will be finished to make the constitutional amendment possible. Abe¡¯s latest comments demonstrate his confidence that public sentiment had shifted in favor of the amendment, while the legal framework has been prepared.
Japan¡¯s constitution was formulated in 1947, after World War Two, and reflects the position of the occupying U.S. forces. America¡¯s position at the time was to castrate Japan militarily, so it will not be able to start another war. According to the will of the United States, Article 9 of Japan¡¯s constitution prohibits the country from possessing army, naval and air force combat capabilities and denies it the right to wage war. Abe called the constitution a ¡°letter of reflection by a defeated country,¡± and pushed for an amendment to Article 9, which he claims serves as an obstacle to a normal country like Japan. Abe continues to call Japan a ¡°normal¡± nation, trying to accentuate his desire to make Japan once again into a country that is capable of using force and wage war by recovering its military and right of belligerency.
The Abe regime has been shouting that its attempt to amend the constitution reflects the sentiments of a majority of Japanese citizens. But a recent survey by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper shows that among the respondents who support an amendment (58 percent of Japanese), only six percent said they wanted to change Article 9. In contrast, 84 percent of those who support the amendment said they did so because of a desire to make the constitution encompass ¡°new rights that reflect changing times.¡± Regarding Article 9, which the Abe regime is hell-bent on changing, 78 percent of the respondents said it has played a role in ensuring peace in Japan, while 58 percent said it played a role in maintaining peace and stability in East Asia. This shows how the amendment envisaged by the Abe government differs from the Japanese public's aspirations
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