Japan Constitution - Article 9

On May 3rd Japan’s constitution will be officially 60 years old. The newspapers are sure to be filled with stories regarding the topic of whether or not Japan’s constitution should be revised. Some say that the constitution currently is too vague, and others say that because it was actually written by America immediately following the war it no longer addresses the modern state of Japan.

Whatever the case, it can be sure that Article 9, the article which renounces Japan’s right to hold an army and to wage war is sure to be the focus of the debate.

Japan already has an army, the 自衛隊 (JIEITAI - Japan Self-Defense Forces) which most people say is a blatant violation of Article 9.

What do you think? Here is the actual wording of the constitution.

Article 9.   (1) Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, 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.

(2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.

There you have it. I think that the original intent of the constitution would not allow the maintenance of even a self-defense army as the Self-Defense Forces, even though they do not engage in war. Of course, in this day an age it would be totally impractical for a country like Japan  not to have an army of some sort.

The Japanese version of the constitution is even more wordy and vague than the English version. The constitution was created originally in English, and then translated into Japanese. Some say that the translation was intentionally created this way so that it would leave enough leeway for things such as the current Self-Defense Forces to exist. Most Japanese, when reading the constitution will say it sounds unnatural, and the actual meaning of certain phrases are hard to understand clearly.

 一項：日本国民は、正義と秩序を基調とする国際平和を誠実に希求し、国権の発動たる戦争と、武力による威嚇又は武力の行使は、国際紛争を解決する手段としては、永久にこれを放棄する。

二項：前項の目的を達するため、陸海空軍その他の戦力は、これを保持しない。国の交戦権は、これを認めない。

For example, the word 「戦力」, which is the translation of “war potential” did not exist in Japanese until this constitution was made. When you start inventing words to translate something, there are bound to be disputes over the actual meaning in the future… Especially 60 years later…

Personally I think that the constitution should be revised. Not because I want Japan to have an army, but because current the constitution on this point is so vague that it’s almost pointless.

However, if the constitution is revised, it better be done after heavy discussions with China, Korea, and other neighboring Asian countries and not unilaterally, or there is sure to be heavy political backlash.

- Harvey