Freeing Japan from the pacifist shackles of its Occupation constitution is an intention not only undamaged by domestic opposition and the current political troubles of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, but according to one poll blazingly popular in the Diet:
Eighty-five percent of Japanese lawmakers support revision of Japan's Constitution, adopted after World War II, over the use of military force, the Kyodo News service reported, citing its own survey.The survey found a majority in both chambers of the country's parliament favor revising the Constitution's war-renouncing Article 9, and such change is backed by 80 percent of lawmakers from ruling Liberal Democratic, the report said.
Respondents are not unified in a specific amendment to Article 9 but the certainty of substantive debate is reason enough to believe Tokyo is taking its responsibilities as a democracy in the post-Cold War world seriously. Koizumi, unfazed by the headwind of reactionism, is already planning for a Japan able to defend itself and its allies with an offense-capable military:
A permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council would give Japan more say on international security issues, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Tuesday."We have to consider what Japan can do for world peace and stability," Koizumi told reporters. "It would be better to get a say as a permanent council member in order to reflect in the international community Japan's own ideas, which are different from other countries."
The Prime Minister has it on good authority.