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2026 February 11 - 17 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Former CDPJ accepts Article 9 amendment and promotes nuclear power

The Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) on February 13 elected Ogawa Junya, former Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) secretary general, as its new party leader.

Ogawa held a press conference following the CRA leadership election. Regarding the constitutional revision of Article 9, he stated that specifying the legal status of the Self-Defense Forces in the article is “not absolutely impossible” and “not unthinkable”.

He clarified that he “is not an active proponent of amending Article 9,” but said he would engage in discussions about constitutional amendments. Given that constitutional revisionists now hold over 80% of the House of Representatives seats, including the Liberal Democratic Party’s two-thirds majority, Ogawa’s stance effectively bolsters the revisionist movement.

Regarding the national security-related legislation, Ogawa abandoned the CDPJ’s argument that “the existence of provisions concerning a ‘survival-threatening situation for Japan’ could potentially violate the Constitution.” He instead stated, “We will put aside having a discussion on the deletion of these provisions themselves.” In other words, the CRA will avoid addressing arguments about the unconstitutionality of the security legislation.

Furthermore, with regard to the resumption of offline nuclear reactors, he stated, “Our aim is to ensure a stable power supply, including the cautious restart of NPPs under extremely strict management.” This signals a retreat from the CDPJ’s goal of achieving a “nuclear-free society” as set out in its manifesto.

A major factor in the CRA’s crushing defeat in the February 8 general election was the CDPJ’s abandonment of its long-stated public promises to “abolish the unconstitutional parts of the security legislation” and “oppose the restarting nuclear power plants,” betraying the joint struggle of constitutional opposition parties with concerned citizens.

However, Ogawa at the press conference offered neither an apology nor any expression of remorse for this betrayal.

Regarding the construction of a new U.S. military base in Henoko in Okinawa’s Nago City, Azumi Jun, a former co-secretary general of the CRA, suggested that “stopping the construction is not realistic” (January 19). This caused a rift within the “All Okinawa” coalition, of which the CDPJ was a member. Consequently, the ruling LDP won in all four single-seat constituencies in Okinawa.