Round The World

New Delhi, 22 May 2007

Towards Re-Militarization?

Japan Sets off Constitution Amendment

By Monika Chansoria

School of International Studies, JNU

The Japanese Parliament (Diet) enacted a law outlining the steps for a referendum on the nation’s Pacifist Constitution on May 14 last thereby alleviating the limits on military actions overseas. This development in Japan is especially being considered momentous, as it is the first time since World War II that such a revision is being considered.

The 242-seat upper house of the Diet approved legislation by 122 votes as against 99, that had earlier been passed in April last by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)- controlled lower house. Under the approved proposal, the referendum to revise the constitution could be held as early as 2010.

This includes the approval of a plan to set up lower and upper house committees to review draft amendments and draw up procedures for a national referendum. Though a revision could in practice take years since no vote on reforming the Constitution can take place for at least three years, and any alteration would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament and a simple majority in a national referendum.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made Constitutional reform a focal point of his premiership with a prime objective to give Japanese armed forces a larger and more prominent role in global security affairs. The revision of the Constitution is being viewed a significant step in that direction.

The Japanese Constitution was drafted in 1947 in collaboration with the United States after World War II, and has never been amended up till now. Indeed, there is a considerable section of the Japanese community that credits the charter’s pacifist clause, Article 9, with keeping the country out of war since 1945 and limiting the role for its military for decades.

Furthermore, Article 9 is the key impediment responsible for Japan’s restrictive stance vis-à-vis militarization in that it renounces the right to wage war to resolve international disputes and bans the maintenance of a military. Moreover, Article 9 effectively commits Japan to pacifism with a ban on “the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes.”

However, this article has been stretched not only to permit armed forces for self-defence, but also to allow overseas military activities. This was particularly witnessed in case of dispatching troops on a ‘non-combat mission’ to the war zone in Iraq. Japan dispatched troops on a humanitarian mission to Iraq in 2004-06, under special legislation, for the first time since World War II. In addition to this, Tokyo also offered logistical assistance to the US-led troops in Afghanistan.

The initiation of the process aimed at rewriting Japan’s Pacifist Constitution appears to be a move by conservative PM Abe, aimed at amplifying his approval ratings that have been waning in recent months. The nation stands at a delicate juncture as Abe pushes ahead a conservative agenda and leads the LDP into the upper house elections slated for July 2007.     

Since the time Abe succeeded his predecessor Junichiro Koizumi, the focus has been on constitutional restructuring, education reforms and a pro-growth economic strategy. Therefore the elections in July 2007 could well be a litmus test for the Abe Administration along with the LDP.

While attending Asia Society’s 17^th Asian Corporate Conference in Tokyo, Abe urged changes to Japan’s security policy to allow its military to play a bigger global role. “Japan’s role in international society has largely changed from sixty years ago… We are expected, and have a responsibility, to play a greater role…” stated Abe.

Amid perceived threats from a nuclear North Korea Abe said, “The security situation surrounding us has become harsher. It is my responsibility as Prime Minister to create a more effective framework to deal with this… It is more vital than ever to seek a more effective US-Japan alliance.”

Crucially, the public sentiment over the issue of constitution revision is deeply divided and according to a recent poll, 62 per cent of the surveyed Japanese said that the current interpretation of the Constitution, barring Japan from coming to the defence of an ally that is under attack, should remain intact. Furthermore, in yet another survey conducted by the liberal Asahi Shimbun newspaper, 49 per cent opposed changing Article 9 against 33 per cent who backed revising it.

The Opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Japan, opposed the Bill owing to various reasons, one of them being the fact that the bill did not stipulate a minimum voter turnout in a national referendum. “Japanese constitutionalism is now facing a serious threat, and the threat arises from Prime Minister Abe’s lack of understanding and lack of principles,” said Kiyoshige Maekawa, an opposition Democratic Party lawmaker.

Significantly, since assuming office, Abe undertook repairing relations with neighbours South Korea and China and visited both the countries within two weeks of taking oath. This was a marked departure as compared to his predecessor Koizumi, whose repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine led to widespread criticism among the Asian neighbours.

The above-mentioned shrine honours millions of Japan’s war dead, including 14 Class A war criminals—viewed by many of Japan’s Asian neighbours as a symbol of the nation’s past militarism and has resulted to becoming a common source of friction between Tokyo and it neighbours—particularly China, Singapore and South Korea—that were impacted upon profoundly by Japanese aggression and colonialism.

Abe has exercised restraint and avoided further controversy by not visiting the Yasukuni shrine uptill now, though a constitutional change could fluster Asian neighbours with bitter memories of Japanese imperialism in the past century coupled with its wartime aggressions.

However, Japan’s closest security ally, the United States, clearly stated that it would welcome revision of Article 9. This indeed reflects Washington’s need for dependable military allies in Asia and Shinzo Abe is being viewed as a vital catalyst in achieving strengthened military ties linking Washington and Tokyo.

Japan’s post-World War II anti-nuclear policy, forbids participation in US nuclear strategy. However, the ever-changing security situation in Asia appears to be making an impact on Japanese thinking bringing about a breakthrough in Japan’s consideration of the long-standing US request for joint cooperation on Ballistic Missile Defence research and development.

The venture launched to amend the Japanese Constitution is just the beginning of a process that is expected to be in operation for a long spell. The recommendations for constitutional change will be voted by Parliament with approval requiring a two-thirds majority in each of the two houses of the Diet. The successful recommendations will then be put to a public referendum where a simple majority will prevail.

Therefore, the entire issue of amending the Pacifist Constitution of Japan appears to have created ripples in Asia. There is widespread concern linking the amendment to a potential reality, that of Japan taking the road to militarization yet again. The talk of Japan’s re-militarism does indeed bring back horrific memories for many Asians including a sizeable section of the war-weary Japanese community.

A sense emerges that the Japanese leadership would have to handle this entire issue with extreme finesse since the public opinion remains acutely divided, amply reflecting the staid challenges that appear to be in the offing.---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)