Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi [EPA Yonhap News]

With the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) having achieved a landslide victory in the House of Representatives election (general election) on the 8th, discussions for constitutional revision, including the explicit mention of the Self-Defense Forces in the constitution, are showing signs of accelerating.

Prominent cabinet members considered as potential successors to the Prime Minister, such as Sanae Takaichi, and the leader of the coalition partner, Nippon Ishin no Kai, have consecutively mentioned the necessity of constitutional revision discussions, appearing to be gathering momentum for revising the pacifist constitution.

In this general election, the ruling parties, including the LDP and Nippon Ishin no Kai, secured 352 seats, exceeding the 310 seats required to propose constitutional amendments. Although the Upper House (House of Councillors) still maintains a ruling party minority, making it difficult to propose an amendment immediately, discussions seem poised to accelerate.

According to Kyodo News and other sources, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, a prominent figure in the LDP in his 40s, expressed his willingness for constitutional reform at a press conference on the 10th, stating, "We must provide the public with the opportunity to vote on the proposed amendment as soon as possible."

He emphasized, "Both those who are in favor of constitutional reform and those who are against it can express their opinions," and added, "Once the environment is ready to proceed with the process, we must move swiftly toward its realization."

However, he did not specify the concrete content of the constitutional revision, such as the proposal to explicitly mention the Self-Defense Forces, which are a de facto military, in the constitution. The LDP has advocated for including the Self-Defense Forces in the constitution through revision and included constitutional reform in its general election manifesto.

Hirofumi Yoshimura, the leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai, also argued at a press conference on the same day that "discussions for constitutional revision must gain speed."

He explained that the LDP and Nippon Ishin no Kai have already established a consultative body for constitutional reform and stated, "We intend to confront the issue of how to mention the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9 of the constitution head-on."

Article 9 is the core of the so-called pacifist constitution promulgated in 1946. Article 9 includes the permanent renunciation of war and the threat or use of force, as well as the denial of maintaining land, sea, and air forces and the right of belligerency. However, the word "Self-Defense Forces" is not present in Article 9.

Nippon Ishin no Kai is a more conservative party than the LDP. Unlike the LDP, which only mentions the Self-Defense Forces, Nippon Ishin no Kai advocates for the full acceptance of collective self-defense, the explicit mention of self-defense capabilities, and the inclusion of provisions regarding the status of a national defense force and its personnel in the constitution.

If the opinions of Nippon Ishin no Kai, which positions itself as the accelerator of the Takaichi administration's conservative shift, are accepted, Japan could transform into a de facto "war-capable nation" for the first time in approximately 80 years since the end of World War II.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi [AFP Yonhap News]

Earlier, Prime Minister Takaichi also clearly stated her commitment to constitutional revision at her first press conference after the general election the previous day, saying, "We will also proceed with the challenge toward constitutional revision."

She stated, "Based on the consolidation of past discussion points and accumulated discussions, I am determined to strive to create an environment where a national referendum on constitutional revision can be held as quickly as possible with the cooperation of each political party."

During the general election campaign, Prime Minister Takaichi had stated, "Why shouldn't the Self-Defense Forces be written into the constitution?" and argued, "To protect their pride and make them a solid and capable organization, constitutional revision is naturally necessary."

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Koizumi stated at a press conference on the same day regarding an increase in defense spending (defense budget) that it is "making necessary investments" and that he "perceived a lot of positive reactions (during the election period)."

He announced that he plans to visit Germany from the 12th to the 15th to attend the Munich Security Conference and hold bilateral meetings with defense ministers from various European countries.

The Munich Security Conference is an annual international security forum where high-ranking foreign and security officials and experts gather to discuss security issues, primarily focusing on European security matters and cooperation with the United States.

Defense Minister Koizumi stated that the security of the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are indivisible and added, "We intend to reaffirm strong solidarity to maintain and strengthen the international order."