TOKYO, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The current Japanese government has stepped up efforts to accelerate constitutional revision, a move that could mark a significant turning point in Japan's postwar trajectory, triggering widespread concern and criticism among the public.
At the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) convention in Tokyo on Sunday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi declared that "the time has come" to reform the Constitution, saying that "we would like to hold next year's convention with a proposal for a constitutional amendment in sight." The ruling party also formally announced its new policy vision, recognizing its goal of revising the Constitution as "critically needed" in shaping Japan's future security framework.
For decades, revising the pacifist Constitution has been a long-standing goal of conservative and right-wing forces in Japan. Takaichi's decision to set a clearer timeline signals a renewed determination to break from the constraints of the postwar system and embark on a dangerous militarized path.
Japan's Constitution, which took effect in 1947, is often referred to as the pacifist Constitution because its Article 9 renounces war as a sovereign right and prohibits Japan from possessing "war potential" such as military forces. However, despite remaining formally unchanged, its pacifist principles have gradually been reinterpreted and eroded over time.
Efforts to revise the Constitution date back to the founding of the LDP in 1955, when constitutional revision was written into the party's platform. In the 21st century, attempts gained momentum, including a 2005 draft proposing to elevate the Self-Defense Forces to a full-fledged military and a 2012 proposal advocating the establishment of a national defense force under the prime minister's command. Both initiatives faced strong domestic opposition and ultimately stalled.
Although the pacifist Constitution has not been formally amended, it has been substantively undermined through "reinterpretation" of successive governments. In 2015, the administration of Shinzo Abe pushed through new security legislation that reinterpreted the Constitution to allow collective self-defense. Later, in 2022, the government of Fumio Kishida formally introduced "counterstrike capabilities" in revised security documents.
More recently, under Takaichi's leadership, Japan has accelerated a series of security and defense initiatives, including restructuring the Self-Defense Forces, deploying long-range missiles, considering loosening restrictions on arms exports, and debating revisions to its long-standing non-nuclear principles. These steps collectively signal a shift away from Japan's exclusively defense-oriented policy, hollowing out the pacifist ideals embedded in the country's Constitution.
Political developments have also created more favorable conditions for constitutional revision. In the February lower house election, the ruling coalition of the LDP and the Japan Innovation Party secured a two-thirds majority, the threshold required to initiate constitutional amendments in parliament.
Takaichi's push represents a transition from incremental reinterpretation back to an explicit attempt to revise the Constitution itself, reflecting broader ambitions of "remilitarization." Such moves could have far-reaching implications not only for Japan's security policy but also for the postwar international order.
The initiative has sparked strong concern and criticism among the Japanese public, who believe that Takaichi's constitutional amendment proposals deviate from Article 9 of the Constitution and are extremely dangerous. Since the beginning of this year, protests have been held across the country, with participants opposing constitutional revision, rejecting war, and calling for the protection of the peace clause.
Historical memory also weighs heavily on the debate. During World War II, Japanese militarism inflicted profound suffering across Asia and beyond. Key international documents such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Declaration, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender established the legal and political framework for Japan's postwar reintegration into the international community.
The existence of Article 9 is precisely to fundamentally dismantle Japan's militaristic system and prevent its resurgence. Japan should listen to the voices of its people against war, take concrete actions to reflect on its history of aggression, and adhere to a peaceful development path in order to gain the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community. ■
