Photo/Illutration The Diet building in Tokyo (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Lawmakers in favor of constitutional revision now represent 62 percent of the Upper House, with most seeking wording about the Self-Defense Forces and limiting civil rights in national emergencies, a survey showed.

After the July 10 election, more than 70 percent of Upper House members also support strengthening Japan’s defense capabilities, according to the joint study by The Asahi Shimbun and a team led by Masaki Taniguchi, a professor of political science at the University of Tokyo.

Approval from two-thirds of lawmakers in both Diet chambers is needed to initiate constitutional revision. Lawmakers from four parties in favor of or open to such amendments occupy more than two-thirds of seats in the upper chamber following the vote.

The survey covered all candidates who ran in the election as well as incumbents whose Upper House seats were not contested. Valid responses were received from 94 percent of the successful candidates and 67 percent of the incumbents.

War-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution prohibits Japan from maintaining land, sea and air forces.

According to the survey, 78 percent of the Upper House members in favor of revisions want a clause added to the article to spell out the legal status of the SDF. That ratio was up from 66 percent in the 2019 survey.

The second most popular proposed change, backed by 74 percent, was the addition of a clause allowing the government to limit civil rights during national emergencies, compared with 50 percent in the 2019 survey.

An additional clause to expand support for education was backed by 64 percent, up from 52 percent.

The four parties that represent more than two-thirds of the Upper House are: the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, junior coalition partner Komeito, and the two opposition parties of Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the People (DPP).

The survey showed that almost all lawmakers of the LDP, Nippon Ishin and the DPP were in favor of what would be first revisions to the postwar Constitution.

But only 54 percent of legislators of Komeito, which has said it is open to discussions on constitutional revision, were solidly in favor of changing the nation’s supreme laws, according to the survey.

Among the proponents in Komeito, 14 percent said the addition of the SDF clause is necessary, while 29 backed the emergency clause.

The findings indicate that Komeito could hold the key to Diet debate on the issue.

BOLSTERING DEFENSE

Seventy-three percent of Upper House members support enhancing Japan’s defense capabilities, up from 47 percent in the 2019 survey.

The gains by the LDP and Nippon Ishin, a conservative party, in the July 10 election helped to push up the ratio.

Even 73 percent of the lawmakers of Komeito, which has been touted as a pacifist-leaning party, backed bolstering the nation’s defense.

Among Upper House members of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), 41 percent were in favor of strengthening defense, compared with 32 percent who were against it.

Regarding the proposal to give the SDF the ability to strike enemy bases that are preparing to attack Japan, 42 percent of all Upper House members supported it while 37 percent were opposed, according to the study.

The LDP and Komeito sharply differ on the issue.

Seventy-five percent of LDP lawmakers endorsed the move. But only 4 percent of Komeito members approved the measure, while 54 percent were against it.

Eighty-six percent of CDP lawmakers were against the proposal, while 90 percent of Nippon Ishin members supported it.

(This article was compiled from reports by Yuta Ogi and Nen Satomi.)

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