Should Japan alter or abolish its pacifist Constitution?

Question

Article IX of Japans Constirution states:
....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...The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.

To date, Japan has not recognized or even accknowleged it culpability in starting WWII. For most Japanese I've talked to on this subject, history ends in 1932 and starts up again in 1945. Between those two dates there was a WAR Japan lost and the United States dropped two NUCLEAR BOMBS. No Manchurian insident, no rape of Nanking, no Panay insident, no Battan Death March. If you mention any of these things you get a blank stare and an embarrased attempt to change the subject.

Answer 1

The reason why you get blank stares when mentioning history between 1932 and 1945 is that Japanese people feel ashamed for what their country did during that time and feel constant remorse, also thanks to the recent (last 20 years) relentless badgering for an ever-better apology by China. It's been my experience that the average Japanese person does not want to talk war and politics. War especially is the last thing on any Japanese person's mind. Every time Japan considers making preparations for military exercises on Japanese soil, they think about three questions: Will we offend or inconvenience Korea?; Will we offend or inconvenience China?; Will we anger the US?

Japanese people will change the subject in this case since the subject is very painful to them and they want to forget it.

Ever since Japan was given its new constitution, the Japanese have tried so hard to become pacifist, that the average person cannot bring themselves to even think about war. (Unlike the current White House administration in the US...)

Japan is very serious about maintaining the constitution in its current form. Every attempt to revise the constitution by even a single legislator in Japan is always met with massive, staunch resistance and is ultimately defeated.

If you want to see how peaceful Japan really is, try watching the news in Japanese.

Answer 2

Japan will inevitably change its constitution because of the perceived threat from China and Russia. Russia is moving towards fascism and it's armed with nukes. It's almost inevitable that Russia will start aggressive wars in the near future. Japan must arm itself to protect its people against both Russia and China.

Answer 3

it should be kept!! US forced japan to have that constitution, and dont change it cuz you want more troops and we are basically the only allies you have. japan payed billions of money for 60 yrs or more because US wanted to fight. dont start war if you cant fight by your self.

reason japanese dont tell history in school is to not to create more nationalism and it is to not to repeat same mistake again.

hey why dont you know that US invaded soviet union TWICE, why dont you know that US troopes raped japanese women after the war.. hey in nam i remember US troops rapeing nam women.. you forget that one?? it happens in any war, and dont say ones bad, everyone and each are equally bad if in war, cuz no killing should be allowed.!!!

Answer 4

no,it was the deal they made after they lost