Proposed Japanese constitutional referendum

Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution Referendum is a referendum that was expected to take place in 2020. In May 2017, then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set a 2020 deadline for revising Article 9, which would legitimize the Japan Self-Defense Forces in the Japanese constitution.[1][2][3][4] Abe and his Cabinet resigned in September 2020, due to Abe's health problems.[5] Under his successor Yoshihide Suga, parliament revised referendum law in June 2021 to make it easier to vote by allowing temporary voting station. The move was considered as a step toward the possibility of the constitutional referendum taking place.[6] Kishida renewed calls for the referendum in May 2023.[7]

Public opinion

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Date Firm Yes No Undecided Lead Sample size Notes
1 March – 11 April 2022 Kyodo News poll[8] 50% 48% 2%
13 May 2021 The Asahi Shimbun poll[9] 45% 44% 1%
18 April 2021 Mainichi Shimbun poll[10] 48% 31% 17%
2019 [11] 40% 54% 14%
2017 Kyodo News poll[12] 49% 47% 2%
2017 Asahi poll[13] 29% 63% 34%
2017 NHK poll[12] 25% 57% 32%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Tatsumi, Yuki (5 May 2017). "Abe's New Vision for Japan's Constitution". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  2. ^ Osaki, Tomohiro; Kikuchi, Daisuke (3 May 2017). "Abe declares 2020 as goal for new Constitution". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Japan's Abe hopes for reform of pacifist charter by 2020". Reuters. 3 May 2017. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Japan PM unveils plan to amend Constitution, put into force in 2020". Nikkei Asian Review. 3 May 2017. Archived from the original on 3 May 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Japan's prime minister steps down". Politico. Associated Press. 16 September 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Japan enacts revised referendum law in constitutional amendment push". Kyodo News. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023.
  7. ^ Otani, Jiro (5 May 2023). "Kishida: Constitutional Reform Referendum Should Happen 'As Soon as Possible'". Japan Forward. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Japan still divided on revising war-renouncing Constitution: Survey". Kyodo News. 2 May 2022. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023.
  9. ^ Isobe, Yoshitaka (3 May 2021). "Survey: Voters evenly split on need for revising the Constitution". The Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023.
  10. ^ "48% back revision of Japan's Constitution, 12 points up from last year: Mainichi poll". Mainichi Shimbun. 3 May 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Poll shows 54% oppose revision of Japan's pacifist Constitution under Abe's watch". The Japan Times. Kyodo News. 11 April 2019. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023.
  12. ^ a b Mark, Craig (18 May 2017). "Japan Debates Changing Its Pacifist Constitution". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  13. ^ Kingston, Jeff (13 May 2017). "Japan's constitutional rebirth or reincarnation?". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.

Further reading

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