Kishida Japanese Prime Minister Expresses Will to Promote Constitutional Amendment and Enter Security Council Permanent Membership (Comprehensive)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is delivering a speech at the 89th Liberal Democratic Party Convention held at a hotel in Tokyo on the morning of the 13th. [Image source=Kyodo News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has reaffirmed his determination to amend the constitution centered on explicitly mentioning the Self-Defense Forces. In light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he also mentioned the need to reform the United Nations Security Council and expressed his intention to join as a permanent member.

According to local media on the 13th, Prime Minister Kishida delivered a speech at the 89th Liberal Democratic Party convention held at a hotel in Tokyo, stating, "All four constitutional amendment proposals presented by the LDP are tasks that must be earnestly pursued now," and "Let us properly communicate with the people and achieve this goal."

Currently, Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution states the "perpetual renunciation of war and the threat or use of force" and specifies that "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will not be maintained" to achieve this. In other words, it explicitly states in the constitution that Japan will not maintain a military.

However, Japan has since established and maintained the Self-Defense Forces, which are effectively equivalent to a military. Since the Shinzo Abe administration, the LDP has been pushing for constitutional amendments to explicitly recognize the existence of the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9 and to add provisions for emergency situations. However, progress has been limited due to opposition from opposition parties and low public interest.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kishida also expressed his intention to pursue permanent membership in the UN Security Council. In his speech, he criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying it "demonstrates the need to establish a new international order." He emphasized the necessity of reforming the UN and the Security Council to achieve this.

Kishida described Russia's invasion as "an outrage by Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council bearing great responsibility for international peace and stability," and pledged to devote all efforts to realizing Security Council reform.

Japan's Security Council reform proposal is highly likely to include Japan's bid for permanent membership. Japan has formed the so-called 'G4' with countries aiming for permanent membership such as Germany, India, and Brazil, advocating for Security Council reform focused on expanding both permanent and non-permanent seats.

However, the likelihood of this plan being realized remains low. Expanding permanent membership requires amending the UN Charter, which must be approved and ratified by two-thirds of all member states and all five current permanent members (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia). China and Russia have continuously opposed Japan's bid for permanent membership, making Japan's accession difficult.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.