Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution

Online Session 3

“ARTICLE 9. Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. (2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.”

Article 9 prohibits aggression as a means of settling disputes among other states. It banned Japan from participating in any kind of war and maintaining military capabilities. Should the lawmakers of Japan decide to make amendments with regards to Article 9 of their Constitution, two opposing views would arise and would debate whether or not a revision is necessary. The revisionist group aims to abandon the pacifist policy and remilitarize Japan while a group of people who commit to memory the consequences of World War II advocates peace.

A change in Article 9 would imply two things: On one hand, a remilitarization of Japan would greatly threaten the security of its neighboring countries. Tensions among Asian countries, especially former war victims of Japan- China and Korea, will increase. On the other, a remilitarization of Japan would provide national security and independence from foreign countries for their own defense.

Failure to make amendments to the constitution despite persistent efforts is due to a difficulty of revising it. According to Article 96 “Amendments require approval by two-thirds of the members of both houses of the National Diet before they can be presented to the people in a referendum” A consensus among the members of both houses is required which was hardly met. Moreover, public opinion have yet to come into common grounds concerning collective self-defense.