• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Asia
  4. Japan split on constitutional amendments amid militarization efforts
Asia

Japan split on constitutional amendments amid militarization efforts

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 May 21:55

The Japanese people cannot agree on amending the country's constitution as the island nation braces for massive changes.

  • US Army soldiers prepare for their exercise at a training field in Paju, South Korea, near the border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, March 17, 2023 (AP)
    US Army soldiers prepare for their exercise at a training field in Paju, South Korea, near the border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, March 17, 2023 (AP)

A poll conducted by Japan's Asahi Shimbun on Wednesday found that while about 52% of Japanese people think their constitution is excellent, 52% believe amendments are necessary.

More than half of Japanese people support the constitution's revision, according to a survey issued on May 3, Japan's Constitution Day.

At 37%, the ratio of staunch opponents of the amendments is unchanged from the previous year. Since Asahi Shimbun began conducting surveys in 2013, this is the lowest vote in favor of the current constitution.

37% of respondents, the second-highest ratio since 2013, favored the reform of the renowned Article 9, often known as the "peace article," while 55% opposed the amendments.

The postwar constitution of Japan was adopted in 1947, making this year's Constitution Day its 76th anniversary. The "Peace Constitution," which serves as the foundational legislation of the nation and is now the world's oldest unaltered constitution, forbids Japan from taking part in foreign hostilities.

However, the current administration's Liberal Democratic Party plans to amend the constitution, specifically to mandate the existence of the Japanese self-defense forces. The initiative's proponents say that it won't alter the structure of the document because it will merely explain its legal standing and acknowledge the existence of self-defense forces.

The legislation stipulates that in order to modify the constitution, two-thirds of Parliament must agree on the change before it can be put to a referendum of the people.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in September 2022 that Japan persistently hyped the "Chinese threat" as an excuse to abolish its pacifist constitution and return to the path of military expansion.

"China has repeatedly stated its position on this issue. For a certain period of time, Japan has been vigorously hyping the 'Chinese threat' and continuously developing its missile programs and so-called retaliatory strike capabilities, which is a pretext for creating offensive armed forces," the diplomat told a press briefing.

Tokyo wants to abolish its pacifist constitution and return to the policy of military expansion, according to Wang. These actions send a concerning signal to the international community that Japan wants to challenge the global order that was established after the end of World War II.

Prior to WWII, Japan had a long history of military interventions in the Pacific. The enormous crimes imperialist Japan committed against the people of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937-1945 were monstrous, costing possibly between 10 and 25 million Chinese civilians' lives.

These crimes have not been forgotten, especially since Japan has continuously refused to give any real apology for the crimes, provide compensation to the victims, or take a clear stand against this part of its history. 

For example, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which pays homage to convicted Japanese war criminals on several occasions.

The fact that Japan never had a “bourgeois revolution” left remnants of the old feudal state in place, the emperor for example. 

Within quite a short period of time, Japan emerged as a major economic power, and with it went military might, as it expanded beyond its borders building its own empire in the east.

Since the early 1990s, NATO and Japan have been engaged in dialogue and cooperation, often referred to as ‘partners across the globe – with which it is developing relations, and NATO’s top leadership has consistently described Japan as a ‘natural partner’ over the years. 

  • Japan
  • Nato
  • military expansionism
  • China
  • japanese imperialism

Trending Now

All
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) escort ship "Kurama" appears from the smoke during a fleet review in the waters off Sagami Bay, south of Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015 (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Beijing: Japan is straining tensions to abolish pacifist constitution

Most Read

London posts job ad for mercenaries for Ukraine counteroffensive

London posts job ad for mercenaries for Ukraine's counteroffensive

  • Africa
  • 24 May
US seeks to build new military base in Iraq's oil-rich: Sources

US eyes new military base in Iraq's oil-rich region: Sources

  • MENA
  • 23 May
The domestically produced C919 passenger jet flies at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, Peoeple's Republic of China, 8 November 2022. (Reuters)

China is set to launch first commercial flight on its C919 plane

  • Asia
  • 26 May
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky during a press conference in the garden at Chequers, in Aylesbury, England, on May 15, 2023 (AP)

'Nothing left': Zelensky acknowledges loss of Bakhmut

  • Europe
  • 21 May

Read this

All
Saudi Arabia's Hawiyah Natural Gas Liquids Recovery Plant which is operated by ARAMCO. (AP)
MENA

Tensions between Riyadh and Moscow on the rise due to oil prices: WSJ

  • Today
Erdogan is seen laying flowers on the grave of Adnan Menderes. (Social Media)
MENA

Erdogan visits grave of Islamic idol on eve of Turkey's 2nd vote round

  • 27 May
Equatorial Guinea's Ambassador to Moscow Luciano Nkogo Ndong Ayekaba at a ceremony held at the Kremlin. (Sputnik)
Africa

Equatorial Guinea's envoy rebukes allegations on China base in country

  • 27 May
New ballistic missile unveiled in Tehran, Iran, May 25 2023. (Reuters)
MENA

Iran's missile programme is a multi-layered threat: Israeli media

  • 27 May
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS