Politics essay: Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan, known as the "Pacifist Constitution"

Résumé du document

The 9th Article was added to the Constitution of Japan, known as the "Pacifist Constitution" (Heiwa-Kenp during) during the occupation following World War II. It has been written by the Americans, and is aimed at delegating or limiting Japan's military power in favor of collective security. Today, Japan is the world's fifth largest economy, and plays an important role on the international scene. But would Japan be able to maintain its place without any military credibility? The Constitution had been written in a particular context that is outdated today, but Japanese people feel safer with this article, even if it prevents them from playing a significant role in international situations.

Extraits

[...] Besides those supply vessels loitering in the Indian Ocean, Japan has contributed soldiers for reconstruction work and air crews for logistics support in Iraq. Its ships and aircraft have assisted relief efforts from post-tsunami Indonesia to quake-stricken Pakistan. Lately it has struck up closer military ties with Australia and to a lesser degree India, and drawn closer to NATO and the European Union. For Japan's government, this broader military effort has had a clear diplomatic purpose. Japan would like a more permanent seat on the UN Security Council and presents its readiness to shoulder some of the harder security tasks as one of its credentials. [...]

[...] Article 9 was added to the Constitution of Japan, known as "the Pacifist Constitution ( 平和憲法, Heiwa-Kenpōduring), during the occupation following World War II. It had been written by the Americans, and aimed at delegating or limiting Japan's military power in favor of collective security. Today, Japan is the world fifth largest economy, playing an important role on the international scene. But would Japan be able to maintain its place without any military credibility? The Constitution had been written in a particular context that is outdated today. [...]

[...] Today, the main international debate does not discuss World War II anymore. Japan has to realize, that other countries now need the help, the Americans gave it after the defeat. Japan has now successfully stabilized its economy and relationship to most countries. But Japanese people feel safer and more comfortable knowing that the United States of America are in charge of the military support of the country. Japan is a patriarchal society, the emperor used to be responsible for the safety of the citizens. [...]

[...] Relations between Russia and Japan are a continuation of the Japanese- Soviet relations. Relations between the two nations are hindered primarily by a dispute over the Kuril Islands. This, and several smaller conflicts, prevented both countries from signing a peace treaty after World War II. The Japanese Socialist party, partly because of those complicated relations to Japan's neighbors, has always supported the "peace constitution" and argued that Japan can only be truly safe through a policy of unarmed neutrality. Japan has good relations with its neighbors, and any friction or threat posed by Japan is, for those people, mostly due to its alliance with the United States. [...]

[...] Japanese people are to face the reality of the atrocities they committed, but changes in the constitution should help Japan dealing with the past and facing the future. This revision may help Japanese people change the opinion they have on themselves, in other words, this could help them understanding their new status towards the rest of the world. As for Germany, Americans applied the principle of fault writing the current constitution. This participates in making Japanese still don't want to undertake the responsibility of a conflict of any kind. [...]