Japan debates pacifist constitution

[bpilgrim]

Monday 03 May 2004, 11:11 Makka Time, 8:11 GMT

Japanese political leaders have called for the revising of the US-drafted, pacifist constitution to allow more non-combat military operations, saying it no longer fits the modern world.

According to an opinion poll published in the Mainichi Shimbun daily, 78% of Japanese lawmakers favoured some changes to the document, 57 years after it came into force.

A survey of ordinary citizens last week indicated 53% thought revision was needed.

Debate is heating up particularly over Article Nine which renounces the right to go to war and forbids a military, except when forces' role involves self-defence.

more...
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/AA1F880F-C0C2-43B5-921D-8A1BAA037A02.htm

my have times changed...


peace

[Capt_Nemo]

1. So now anything short of imperialism is "pacifism"?

go figure...

[mulethree]

4. uncertainty about uncle sam's umbrella keeping the rain off

beyond the 15 or 20 years they will need to stand up to china alone?

[Art_from_Ark]

2. An appropriate topic for today

Constitution Day (May 3) in Japan, which is a national holiday.

[bpilgrim]

3. also considering the BUSH DOCTRINE

%53 ready for a change according to the polls.

i would hate to see japan change it's pacifist stance but would not be suprised either.

peace

[Art_from_Ark]

5. You and me both

I would be very wary of that 53% figure. Merely saying that one is for "change" is not necessarily an indicator that 53% of the Japanese population favors the use of the Self-Defense Forces for military intervention overseas.

I have been having quite a debate on this topic with a Japanese who wants to change the Japanese constitution. He feels that it's not "Japan's" because, after all, it was imposed on Japan by the US.

"So what would you change?" I ask.
"Maybe nothing," he will reply, "but it's important for Japanese sovereignty to have a constitution that was actually designed by Japanese."

When pressed, though, he does not like the idea of becoming involved in foreign wars.