A
recent Kyodo News poll found 60 per cent of respondents said the Japanese
Constitution should not be altered, while 32 per cent called for changing it,
at a time when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pursuing amending the fundamental
law.
The
percentage of people who support maintaining the Constitution rose from 55 per
cent in a July 1994 poll by the Japan Association for Public Opinion Research,
when 34 per cent said it should be changed.
The
figures indicate citizens who hope to see no changes to the Constitution may
have increased despite the Abe administration’s efforts to change it.
The
government changed the interpretation of the Constitution in July last year to
allow Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defence, or use force for
defending an ally. National security bills to materialize the change are
currently being deliberated in the Diet.
The
Constitution’s commendable feature cited most frequently by respondents hoping
to see the basic law remain unchanged was its war renunciation and pacifism,
chosen by 88 per cent, followed by respect for basic human rights picked by 51
per cent. Respondents were allowed to choose up to two options.
The
war renunciation and pacifism, meanwhile, was a problematic feature cited most
frequently by those who say the basic law should be changed. Thirty-six per
cent of them chose the alternative, followed by 34 per cent who viewed the
Allied occupation force’s drafting of the Constitution for Japan as
problematic.
Kyodo
News implemented the mail-based poll from May to June to look into public
opinion 70 years after World War II ended with Japan’s defeat. In the poll,
63.2 per cent of 3,000 randomly selected adults sent back responses.
Those
who directly experienced the war were limited to 6 per cent of the respondents.
Forty-nine
per cent of the respondents viewed the war as a “war of aggression” and 9 per
cent as a “war of self-defence.” But 41 per cent offered no opinion on whether
the war was for aggression or self-defence.
In
the poll, 67 per cent said Prime Minister Abe should offer an apology for
Japan’s colonial rule and aggression before and during the war in his planned
statement to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.
The
percentage compares with 30 per cent seeing no necessity for such an apology.
His
predecessors Tomiichi Murayama and Junichiro Koizumi offered such an apology in
the 50th and 60th war-end anniversary statements, respectively. Abe is reported
to be reluctant to include an apology in his statement.
In
the poll, 28 per cent of the respondents said Japan has made a sufficient
apology to neighbouring countries for suffering inflicted by Japan on them
before the end of the war. Another 54 per cent said an apology was made to some
extent.
Of
the total respondents, 55 per cent said the prime minister should visit
Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honours convicted Japanese war criminals along
with millions of war dead. The percentage surpassed 43 per cent against the top
Japanese leader’s visit to the shrine, to which China and South Korea have
raised opposition.
The
most frequently cited diplomatic priority for Japan was its relationship with
other Asian countries, chosen by 42 per cent. More than 70 per cent of
respondents said Japan should made efforts to improve its relations with China
and South Korea which have soured over recent years.
The
most popular among good developments in the 70 years after the war in the poll
was Japan’s reconstruction and economic advancement, cited by 55 per cent,
followed by the absence of war involving Japan, picked by 54 per cent.
As
a problematic development after the war, 30 per cent cited the weakened
solidarity of families and local communities and 28 per cent picked
environmental destruction.
The
poll has also found that 52 per cent viewed Japan as going in a worse
direction, surpassing 46 per cent citing a better direction.
The
rate of pessimistic responses was higher among younger generations -- 57 per
cent among respondents in their 20s or 30s, 54 per cent in their 40s or 50s,
and 49 per cent of older respondents.
In
addition, 58 per cent of respondents hoping to see the Constitution remain
unchanged said they expect Japan is heading in a worse direction.
Also,
66 per cent of people who feel Japan is very likely to be involved in war in
the future said the country is heading in a worse direction, as did 56 per cent
of those viewing Japan’s future involvement in war as “likely to some extent.”
Photo:
Protesters holding anti-war placards rally in front of the Parliament building
in Tokyo to protest against the legislation that would expand the role of the
nation's military. Photo: AP
South China Morning Post - Associated Press in
Tokyo
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