My latest … an analysis of the prospects for constitutional revision in Japan since “pro-revision” forces captured a historic 2/3 super-majority in the July 10 Upper House election … has been published in Pacific Forum CSIS’ PacNet series.
My analysis focuses on implications of the ruling coalition’s victory for possible changes to the famous “pacifist” Article 9 of Japan’s as-yet-never-revised 1946 (U.S.-drafted) Constitution. I include an overview of the LDP’s remarkably ambitious 2012 draft proposal for significant revisions to–or in the language of its opponents, “gutting” of–Article 9. This proposal would, inter alia, make explicitly constitutional a new “National Defense Force” (kokubogun), the “full” exercise of individual and collective self-defense (jieieken), and Japan’s involvement in collective security operations.
Suggested citation and link (free access) below:
- Liff, Adam P. “On the verge of history? Japan’s 2016 election and prospects for Article 9 revision.” PacNet [No. 56]. Honolulu, HI: Pacific Forum CSIS, July 11, 2016.
Adam P. Liff, Ph.D. 