Verified answer

Yes, it's about time for Japan to revise its Constitution to make our Self Defense Force constitutionally legitimate.

Our SDF is de-fact a military power but our "peace constitution," which was written by US occupation force right after WWII, denies our right to resort to arms even for the self-defense of our nation.

As you point out, article 9 of our Constitution is not only totally unrealistic but detrimental to the smooth operation with US Forces for the defense of Japan. Personally, I do believe that our Constitution should be revised to authorize the SDF as our legitimate military power.

Considering the importance of Japan-US defense cooperation for the peace and security of Asia-Pacific region, more and more people in Japan are becoming aware that our Constitution needs to be revised.

Addition:

1) Majority of the Japanese support Japan-US Security Treaty.

2) Majority of the Japanese support their Self Defense Force.

3) Majority of the Japanese have a serious doubt as to the constitutionality of the SDF.

4) Majority of the Japanese hope that SDF will be authorized by the Constitution.

5) Majority of the Japanese, therefore, think their Constitution needs to be revised sooner of later.

6) Majority of the Japanese are getting tired of this contradiction, which negatively affect the morale of the nation.

7) Majority of the Japanese do not want to establish nuclear-powered SDF by severing the Security Treaty with the US.

Since the end of the cold war, which drastically changed the global power balance, Japan-US defense cooperation has been re-arranged accordingly. Some significant modifications were made by concluding separate agreements and enactment of additional legislation, including Japan-US Defense Guidelines; the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) and the legislation for "(Critical) Situations in Areas Surrounding Japan," which, in effect, extends SDF's logistic support for US Forces in Japan (USFJ).

As I said above, I firmly support the Japan-US defense treaty; however, legal questions over these additional arrangements without revising the Constitution and the treaty itself need to be discussed separately. The fact is that majority of the Japanese doubt the constitutionality of these new arrangements.

Legally speaking, how can you justify SDF's additional logistic support for USFJ whose mission has been extended from the Far East to the entire Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, which is way outside the scope the Japan-US security treaty?

It is true that majority of the Japanese support the security treaty with the US (because there is no other choice, realistically); however, it does not mean that they support USFJ deployment to the Middle East or SDF's re-fueling mission on the Indian Ocean in the name of "War on Terror." There is no doubt that USFJ deployment to outside the Far East is a clear violation of the Japan-US Security Treaty. Not to mension, SDF's logistic support for multi-national forces.

This is why our obsolete and unrealistic "peace constitution" and the Security Treaty with the US need to be revised. The nation of Japan is getting tired of this deceptive repetitions of "administrative arrangements" by our government.

I live in Japan, the majority of Japanese support article 9 and staying out of wars and building a large military. Japan is in the situation it is now (a large prosperous country) because one part due to article 9.

"Article 9 stipulates "the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes." "

It doesn't say Japan cannot defend itself.

For some people it's hard to understand. But it works out pretty well for the Japanese. The Japanese don't have a "military" but they have a "self defense force" (SDF) which essentially is their defacto military for Self-Defense only.

Why would Japan need anything else other then for self-defense?

The Japanese are generally "ok" with the Self Defense Force (SDF) for SELF DEFENSE, not offensive operations.

That's what Article 9 prohibits.

If someone attacks Japan, Japan has the self defence forces with assistance with the US military to defend itself.

To put it into perspective for you, Japan is an island country, Japan's Maritime Self Defense, if you add up the total number of ships, Japan has the number 3 largest "Navy" in number of fighting ships in the entire world.

Back to the main point. The Japanese support article 9, any talks about repealing article 9 will get most politicians fired.

I'm sorry I just have to HIGHLY DISAGREE with you that Japan will be doomed. It's just a matter of not understanding all the facts and understanding political science.

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Most Japanese support article 9, there's also a discord amongst mainland Japanese and Okinawans on the best ways to do things. Of course similar to how a Democratic State of New York would disagree with the Republican State of Texas on how the best way to do things in America would be.

Kenpo is Constitution. Don't you have it in your home country?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution

See Article 9.

http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/constitution_and_g...

Japanese people. particularly young generation, have a sort of allergy on war or military. So I don't think Japanese people want to amend its Constitution.

And Article 9 itself does not mean much. Japan has SDF as military in spite of Article 9.

If you want to make SDF or military, whatever, stronger, you must spend billions on military affair. But I don't think Japan can afford to spend that much while it has more than 900 trillion yen debt.

Addition:

>I have been living in Japan since I was 12, sorry I don't know much about my own country's law/policies.

No we don't have Kenpo, I'm sure of that.

I hope I'm not being mean.

But this is Constitution of Philippines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_P...

You need to learn more. Most countries in the world have Constitution.

The idea that a country should not have it's own military/protective forces is rather ignorant of the necessities of national sovereignty.

Japan has shaken free from its imperial roots, and should be allowed to have a purely defensive force.

If you want Japan to revert to her previous form you need to invent a time machine and 'watch back to the future' Joking aside, it is better this way. They can alway rewrite the constitution to make themselves less pacifist but that won't happen.