Japan’s Shinzo Abe says he’s missed goal to amend pacifist constitution by 2020

Abe planned to amend four elements of the constitution to give more power to the cabinet in an emergency, and to describe the Self-Defence forces as the nation’s military

But he is unlikely to achieve that and the opposition has criticised him for using the coronavirus crisis to build momentum for his goal

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Japanese PM Shinzo Abe addresses supporters on May 3, 2020. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 4:20pm, 4 May 2020Updated: 2:25pm, 5 May 2020

Japan’s leader Shinzo Abe has expressed his regret to supporters for not bringing about a first-ever amendment of the country’s pacifist constitution, as opposition politicians criticised him for using the coronavirus crisis to build momentum for his goal.

In a video message to a rally of conservative, pro-amendment groups on Sunday – the 73rd anniversary of the constitution coming into force – Abe referred to his Liberal Democratic Party’s 2018 plan to amend four elements of the supreme law, which would include an emergency clause to give more power to the Cabinet at a time of a major disaster.

Infections in Japan have risen to more than 15,000 with about 550 deaths, stretching the health care system and depressing economic activity due to the closure of businesses under an emergency regulation, that will now last beyond Wednesday, the final day of the country’s Golden Week holiday, to the end of this month.

The prime minister and some other conservative lawmakers had previously called for active debate on such a clause, which critics warned could restrict people’s rights.

Opinion polls however have shown that a majority of Japanese find no need to accelerate discussions on whether to revise the constitution.

Yukio Edano, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, rejected the necessity of an emergency clause in combating the pandemic.

“It is absolutely not true that necessary measures cannot be implemented under the rule of the current constitution,” Edano said in a video shared on the party’s website.

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