Kishida Abruptly Refers to Amendment of Article 9

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed the lawmakers with the Liberal Democratic Party to promote constitutional amendment not only for inserting “emergency clause” but writing down “self-defense force” in the Article 9. Even though Kishida insisted on the importance of constitutional amendment as his political agenda, most people are skeptical about his seriousness. That is because Kishida looks like taking advantage of constitutional amendment as a tool of attracting the conservatives for his reelection as the LDP president.

In a meeting for constitutional amendment in the LDP on August 7, Kishida revealed his new idea on the amendment. “If we proceed to the first national referendum for constitutional amendment, it is important for us to ask the people’s decision on not only the emergency clause but reference to self-defense force,” said Kishida. He insisted that it is no longer the time for only discussing.

 

The LDP has been taking a position to put a priority on the emergency clause, which is to extend the term of members of the House of Representatives in the time of natural disaster or contingency, because amendment of the Article 9 should be further difficult, considering pacifistic sentiment of the Japanese people. Without any basic discussion in LDP, as seen in his decision of dissolving his faction, Kishida announced his idea based on his sole decision.

 

Constitutional amendment is a matter of the Diet, not of the prime minister. In the discussion at the Diet, some opposition parties have agreed on adding emergency clause. But there has not been a detailed discussion over amendment of the Article 9 among the parties. There is a reluctancy even in the coalition partner, Komeito, on the amendment of the Article 9.

 

Some LDP lawmakers recognized Kishida’s move as a strategy for presidential election in September. Kishida raised constitutional amendment as a political target by the end of his term as the president of LDP. It is practically impossible for him to achieve the goal by September. To seek reelection next month, Kishida seems to try to maintain the hope of conservative lawmakers for the amendment.

 

However, Kishida’s announcement sounded like taking advantage of constitutional amendment for his own political benefit. “We cannot help surprise, if he tries to use constitutional amendment for his political survival in the time when he suffers from low approval rate and growing discussion of replacing the president,” said an editorial of Tokyo Shimbun. “Forceful argument for constitutional amendment in spite of no necessity is nothing but an amendment for amendment (not for the people),” it argued with quotation of discussion in LDP that the Diet would work even in the expiration of the term of the House of Representatives.

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