Japan Press Weekly

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2018 April 25 - May 8 [POLITICS]

Opinion polls: 58% oppose amending Constitution, 70% place high value on Article 9

Opinion polls have revealed that nearly 60% of people are opposed to constitutional revision at this moment and that 70% appreciate and support the value of Article 9.

On the eve of Constitution Memorial Day in Japan, the major media on May 2 released the results of opinion surveys on the Japanese supreme law.

According to an Asahi Shimbun survey, 58% of respondents disagree with allowing amendments to the Constitution under the government led by Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, up eight points from 2017. The percentage of those who agree decreased by eight points to 30%.

Those who oppose PM Abe's proposal to add a new clause to Article 9 to constitutionalize the Japanese Self-Defense Forces accounted for 53% of respondents, exceeding the 39% who support this idea. Of those who oppose, 59% fear that to specify the legitimacy of the SDF in the Constitution may possibly expand SDF overseas missions.

In an NHK survey, the percentages of respondents who said they appreciate the value of Article 9 to a large extent (28%) and to some extent (42%) combined reached 70%.

The same survey shows that 29% think it necessary for Japan to revise the present Constitution while 27% think it is unnecessary. The biggest reason why the latter thinks Japan does not need constitutional reform is that they want to protect Article 9 which declares the renunciation of war (64%).

Past related article:
> 80% in NHK opinion poll: Article 9 contributes to Japan’s peace [May 1 and 3, 2017]