Frustrated with Post-war Democracy

All students in Japan learn that there are two kinds of constitution in the world, soft and hard. And, the Constitution of Japan is one of the hardest ones. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday openly challenged its hardness in a discussion at the National Diet. He claimed the requirement of constitutional amendment should be eased from two thirds of approval in each houses to one half. While there is a certain amount of support for the amendment inside and outside of Japan, it seems to be less discussion over the true intention of that.”

“Above all, I’m thinking about the amendment of Article 96, with which most parties agree,” told Abe at the plenary meeting, answering the question of a whip of the Restoration Party, Takeo Hiranuma. Hiranuma asked Abe to abolish the constitution, not the amendment, because it had been vested by occupying America right after the World War II. Hiranuma is a great grandson of a brother of wartime Prime Minister, Kiichiro Hiranuma, who was an A-class war criminal. Although Abe dismissed the amendment, he expressed his intention of amending Article 96, which requires two-thirds vote of each houses to propose the amendment.

There actually is skepticism against this two-thirds clause. Since there are too various opinions to amend the whole constitution, Abe seems to think that the first step should be focused on one article, to which enough support can be expected. But it was unusual for a prime minister, who was elected through the process written in the constitution, to propose the amendment of the constitution.

The second step for Abe is to amend Article 9, which renounces war, to make Japan able to fight wars. The right wing movement in Japan supports his idea. Some of the pro-Japan specialists, represented by Richard Armitage, also understand it. However, they need to understand the basic cause of right wing movement. The conservatives in Japan seek a freehand in international relations, based on their resentment brewed through long time post-war era. As we can see in current political turmoil, this swing nation can become both democratic and anti-democratic after the amendment of constitution which reflects a lot of democratic idea including “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” or “equality under the law.”

If United States wants Japan to be responsible for international affairs, the responsibility can be implemented without the amendment. To support allied force in case of enemy attack, Japan force don’t need the amendment. Reviewing the interpretation of collective defense right is enough, as long as Japan can decide whether or not Japan would use its force. The world must understand that there, partly but firmly, is a frustration against post-war democracy in Japan.