Japan's proposed constitutional amendment a step backwards toward its militaristic past: China Daily editorial

As predicted, not long after securing a snap election victory, along with other preparatory moves, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has wasted no time in reigniting discussions about amending Japan's postwar pacifist Constitution.

In the latest development, at the 70th-anniversary convention of the Liberal Democratic Party held in Tokyo on Sunday, Takaichi declared that "the time has come", while calling for mobilizing the party's full strength to advance constitutional revision, ostensibly to resolve "legal controversies" surrounding the country's armed forces.

Japan's Constitution, established in 1947, was crafted with Article 9 serving as the nation's renunciation of war. This article not only forbids Japan from maintaining armed forces, but also embodies a collective resolve to pursue peaceful resolution of conflict. The Constitution reflects an international consensus on the horrors of war and the imperative of fostering a peaceful postwar international order. It stands as a testament to Japan's commitment to recognize the suffering caused by its militaristic past and its embrace of a path of nonaggression.

Article 9 thus serves as a hard constraint against the revival of militarism. Japan's right-wing forces have therefore long sought to circumvent this restriction by pushing for a revision of the Constitution to provide legal justification for Japan's military expansion. The Takaichi government's proposal to explicitly include the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9 seeks to transform Japan from a "defensive nation" to an "offensive power" capable of waging wars.

The Takaichi government frames the proposed amendment to Japan's Constitution as a necessary step for "national security", but the pacifist principles enshrined in Article 9 are not merely legal constraints but a moral commitment to peace.

The latest provocative moves of Tokyo mark the gradual emergence of a form of "neo-militarism" in Japan, with various signs showing that Japanese right-wing forces are pushing for an offensive and expansionist military policy. This poses a serious threat to regional peace and stability.

Recent actions by the Takaichi government have also highlighted concerns over the intentions behind the moves, as Japan's Ministry of Defense has deployed long-range missiles, with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, a departure from the exclusively defense-oriented policy.

Japan also plans to allow the export of lethal weapons and has participated for the first time in joint military exercises overseas with the United States and the Philippines by directly sending troops to the Philippines. These actions not only violate international legal instruments such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, but also contravene Japan's own constitutional safeguards designed to prevent the resurgence of militarism.

Moreover, the Japanese government is using fiscal policies to bolster the military-industrial complex, intertwining military expansion with economic development. Concurrently, right-wing forces are distorting history textbooks and glorifying past wars of aggression to whitewash Japan's historical responsibility.

The strengthening collusion between Japan and NATO further underscores this shift, positioning Japan as a pivotal player in the current geopolitical strategies of the US in the "Indo-Pacific".

The rise of Japan's "neo-militarism" poses a serious threat to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world because it seeks to alter the postwar international order through military buildup. Japan's reckless militarization will undoubtedly trigger an arms race in the region.

Domestic opposition in Japan is already growing, with a large number of people protesting against the Takaichi government's proposed constitutional revision and militarization policies. These protests indicate that the sensible minds of the Japanese society are well aware of the dangerous furrow Tokyo is plowing.

Peace-loving nations should unite and act with courage and determination to curb Japan's militaristic ambitions, ensuring that historical lessons are heeded and that regional security is preserved. If Tokyo continues to be allowed to deny its postwar commitments, it will only be a matter of time before the region, including Japan itself, is once again dragged into a new disaster.