New prime minister apparently calls for constitutional amendments -- Akahata editorial, Apr. 28, 2001

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro at his first news conference since he took office fervently called for revising the Constitution, particularly its Article 9. In contrast, he made no mention of reflection on Japan's past war of aggression and colonial rule, which successive governments used to express.

Frontal attack on Article 9

Saying that revising the Constitution has been the Liberal Democratic Party's basic policy since the party was established, P.M. Koizumi said that the Constitution's Article 9 needs to be amended so that the Self-Defense Forces can be legally recognized as Japan's armed forces. This means Article 9 Section 2, stipulating that "Land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained" will be deleted.

The prime minister said that it is necessary to revise the Constitution to straighten out the matter over the right of collective self-defense, which successive governments have regarded as not being allowed by the Constitution. He said that the efficient operation of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty would not allow Japan to remain inactive in the event of an attack against the U.S. forces in joint operations with Japan in the seas near Japan.

Koizumi does not hide his intention to amend the Constitution to enable Japan to take part in U.S. wars in Asia.

This is tantamount to abolishing Article 9 Section 1 stipulating the renunciation of war.

The Constitution's Article 9 Section 1 stipulates that Japan forever renounces the threat or use of force; Section 2 stipulates that Japan renounces maintaining war potential in order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph. This is because Japan, based on its reflection on its war of aggression, is determined that never again will its people be visited with the horrors of war through the misdirected action of government.

Sections a and 2 of Article 9 embody an international peace order which the United Nations Charter calls for by outlawing war, based on the historic achievements of the 20th century.

To meet U.S. requests, Prime Minister Koizumi is calling for entirely changing Article 9 in order to enable the Japanese SDF as armed forces both in name and reality to take full military action together with the U.S. forces.

It is serious that this policy of changing the Constitution coincides with the prime minister's lack of self-criticism for Japan's war of aggression and colonial rule.

Asked about his historic view of Japan's past war, Koizumi stressed the need to maintain the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, saying that "Japan-U.S. relations are vital for Japan not be isolated internationally."

On Japan's colonial rule of Korea, he just said, "We should rather give priority to future efforts to strengthen friendly relations between Japan and Korea."

Koizumi could not even refer to the statement by Japan's government on Japan's war of aggression and its colonial rule, specifically the "deep remorse and heartfelt apology" then Prime Minister Murayama Tomiichi expressed on the 50th anniversary of the end of WWII.

Koizumi's attitude will lead Japan to take a wrong direction toward again making Japan an orphan in Asia.

The Constitution of Japan has been maintained over the past half century, supported by the overwhelming majority of the people. This is why successive LDP governments, which have always been calling for a constitutional revision, could not take a decisive step toward achieving it due to the resistance by the people.

As Koizumi stated in the news conference, the LDP, calculating that the people will more easily favor constitutional revision if it is aimed at only introducing the prime minister's public election system, is going to make use of the issue of this election system as a breakthrough toward constitutional revision.

How blatant it is for a new cabinet to call for measures for a constitutional revision! Such an action clearly violates the Constitution's Article 9, that ministers and the Diet "have the obligation to respect and uphold this Constitution."

Infringing on LDP's own constitutional framework

The Japanese government's reflection on the war of aggression and colonial rule was made in the course of domestic public opinion and critical views of the past raised from other Asian countries.

However, P.M. Koizumi is trying to override the framework as a barrier to a constitutional revision, which successive governments imposed on themselves, and is making a rightward turn in Japan's politics.

We must keep an eye on the dangerous moves of the Koizumi cabinet. We must hurry in promoting the movement to increase public awareness in order to prevent the cabinet from implementing the scheme. (end)