Japanese people okay military buildup under ‘hypocritical’ constitution

September 25, 2024

JAKATRA – Like previous leaders, whoever replaces Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Oct. 1 will struggle to convince the Japanese public to support an amendment to the Pacific Constitution, parts of which appear obsolete amid Japan’s military build-up in response to a more assertive China, the nuclear threat from North Korea and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kishida’s predecessor Shinzo Abe, who ruled in 2006-2007 and 2012-2020, wanted to amend the Constitution but was unable to do so.

In April 2022, Abe renewed his call for the nation to amend the Constitution.

“Up until now the public never had the chance to express their intention on the Constitution, whether they are for or against it. It is absolutely strange,” he said. “It is about time we changed the Constitution with an eye to a new era.”

Two months later, he was shot to death.

Neighbors such as China, South Korea and North Korea, have always opposed revision of the Japanese constitution, considering Japan’s brutal occupation of the countries during the Pacific War. It is understandable that they can neither forgive nor forget the horrors.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will elect its new president on Friday after PM Kishida tendered his resignation in response to low public support. His four-year term was supposed to have ended in September 2025.

On Oct. 1, Japan will have a new prime minister, because the LDP and its junior coalition Komeito fully control the Diet, or parliament. The race will feature nine candidates.

Polls have indicated three contenders with the most potential to win the race. They are Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, 63, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, 67, and former Environment Minister