TOKYO REPORT: Majority in Japan Backs Constitutional Amendments

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–A majority of respondents to an annual Jiji Press public opinion survey on Japan’s Constitution said they support amending the supreme law, with 53.2 pct in favor of revision. Support was strongest among people in their 40s to 60s, at around 60 pct. By contrast, backing for constitutional amendments was below 50 pct among respondents in their 30s or younger, as well as those aged 70 or older. The face-to-face survey was conducted from May 15 to 18, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has expressed strong enthusiasm for amending the Constitution, which was drafted by Allied forces after Japan’s defeat in World War II. The survey covered 2,000 residents aged 18 or older nationwide, with valid responses received from 1,172 people. Gaps among Age Groups According to the survey, 53.2 pct of all respondents said it would be better to revise the Constitution, while 26.5 pct said it would be better not to do so. In the previous survey, conducted in May 2025 under the government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the figures were 46.4 pct and 30.5 pct, respectively. Support for constitutional revision has therefore risen by nearly 7 percentage points, suggesting growing momentum for amendments to the Constitution 79 years after it came into force. By gender, 61.6 pct of men supported constitutional reform, compared with 43.3 pct of women. By age group, support was highest among respondents in their 50s, at 61.4 pct, followed by those in their 60s, at 60.5 pct, and those in their 40s, at 59.4 pct. The lowest level of support was among respondents aged 70 or older, at 45.6 pct. This was the only age group in which more than 30 pct favored keeping the Constitution unchanged. Support for revision stood at 47.7 pct among those aged 18 to 29 and 48.0 pct among those in their 30s. In both age groups, more than one-quarter of respondents answered, “Don’t know.” Asked why they believed the Constitution should be amended, with the same four multiple answer options used in the previous survey, the largest share of supporters, at 77.9 pct, said it had become “out of step with the times.” This was followed by 36.1 pct who said there was a need to clearly state the country’s right to self-defense. Respondents who favored keeping the Constitution unchanged were also asked to give their reasons. The most common response, cited by 57.2 pct, was that pacifism serves as a safeguard preventing Japan from becoming a military power. Views on Article 9 Issues surrounding Article 9 of the Constitution–which renounces war and rejects the maintenance of military force–and the right to self-defense have long been at the center of constitutional debate under Japan’s principle of pacifism. In the latest survey, 42.2 pct of respondents said Article 9 should be amended, while 38.6 percent said it should remain untouched. In the previous survey, the corresponding figures were 36.2 pct and 40.5 pct, respectively. Support for revision therefore rose by 6 points, surpassing the share of respondents who favored keeping the pacifist clause unchanged. Even so, opinion remained closely divided. By age group, more than 40 pct of respondents in their 70s or older and those in their 30s said Article 9 should be left intact, outnumbering those who supported reform. Among respondents who favored amending the clause, 66.3 pct cited the need to clearly state the country’s right to self-defense. Among opponents of revision, the most common reason, selected by 63.7 pct, was that Article 9 has contributed greatly to postwar peace and stability. This was followed by the view that it serves as a check on Japan’s militarization, chosen by 41.8 pct. Respondents were also presented with nine proposals for constitutional reform other than Article 9 and were asked to select all items that best reflected their views. The largest share, 28.5 pct, selected clearly stipulating free education. This was followed by 21.9 pct who chose establishing an emergency clause, which would specify measures permitted in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, such as extending lawmakers’ terms of office if holding an election becomes difficult. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]