Korean media: Japanese Prime Minister: "The time for constitutional revision has come… Fully explain to the public," pushing hard for constitutional amendment

"It's been 70 years since the Liberal Democratic Party’s founding. The time has come. Let us unite and work together toward constitutional revision."

On the 12th, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Hata delivered a speech at the LDP’s 70th-anniversary party held at the Tokyo Prince Hotel, expressing a strong determination to revise the constitution. At its core, the proposal aims to explicitly enshrine the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9 of the Constitution, eliminate ongoing constitutional controversies, and strengthen the capabilities of the Self-Defense Forces. In a newly released party vision on the occasion of the LDP’s 70th anniversary, the party clearly stated: "The need for constitutional revision has become urgent."

In her speech, Hata said: "Restoring Japan’s sovereign authority through the hands of the Japanese people—constitutional revision is our party’s natural responsibility. It is the powerful LDP that protects Japan and creates the future. I will stand at the forefront of this effort." This implies it is now time to autonomously amend Japan’s post-WWII constitution, which was drafted in 1947 under the supervision of the Allied Supreme Command (GHQ). She further emphasized: "To achieve constitutional revision, party members and organizations must unite, thoroughly explain the constitution to the public, and carry out discussions in parliament to reach conclusions."

The central focus of the LDP’s proposed constitutional revision is to explicitly write the Self-Defense Forces into Article 9 of the Constitution. Known as Japan’s “peace constitution,” Article 9 first renounces war, while the second paragraph denies the existence of armed forces and the right to belligerence. The LDP is considering adding a separate clause to Article 9, maintaining existing wording but explicitly stating: "The preceding provision shall not hinder necessary self-defense measures required for national and citizen security; the Self-Defense Forces shall continue to exist as an organization established for this purpose." Thus, the Self-Defense Forces would not be considered "war potential" but rather an "essential minimum organization" required for defense.

Some critics argue this logic is weak, suggesting possible revisions during parliamentary debate. Notably, the Komeito Party, which currently co-governs with the LDP, has proposed outright deleting Article 9(2) and explicitly designating the Self-Defense Forces as a "national defense force."

Amid increasingly unstable international conditions, Prime Minister Hata’s administration is simultaneously striving to enhance defense capabilities while demonstrating a clear intent to resolve constitutional controversies surrounding the Self-Defense Forces and transition toward becoming a "normal country." On that day, Hata remarked: "Although the Self-Defense Forces were established in 1954, there exists widespread public perception that they are unconstitutional—a view that imposes significant constraints on their operational use."

Additionally, the LDP is advocating for constitutional amendments that would expand cabinet authority during national disasters such as major earthquakes, allowing for temporary extensions of Diet member terms. The LDP’s constitutional proposals also include reforming electoral district systems that fail to reflect declining populations in certain regions, as well as strengthening the state’s obligations regarding education.

Within the LDP, the prevailing sentiment is to accelerate the constitutional revision process while the prime minister maintains high approval ratings. Constitutional revision requires more than half of voters to approve in a national referendum. Recent public opinion polls indicate that due to favorable government approval ratings, approximately 60%–70% of respondents support constitutional revision. To initiate a constitutional amendment, two-thirds majority approval is required in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. While the House of Representatives appears favorable due to the ruling party’s overwhelming majority, the situation remains uncertain in the House of Councillors, where opposition parties hold the upper hand. The LDP’s strategy is to persuade pro-revision members among opposition lawmakers to consolidate votes.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862336278352896/

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