Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution

Today is a special holiday in Japan. It is the public holiday called "Constitution Day". The Japanese post-WW2 constitution renounces war in its famous Article 9.

ARTICLE 9: "Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized."

Wikipedia mentions that analogues of the Article 9 existed in the post-WW2 German constitution. The German constitution has changed over the years from "no army" to "army for self-defense or defense of NATO-allies" and also to include participation in UN-missions. There is a debate right now in Japan to change Article 9. Other changes may also influence the status of women, and the equality between men and women. There are proposals to put more emphasis on "the family" rather than on gender equality.

Did you know that the Japanese constitution was mainly written by foreigners? The articles about equality between men and women are reported to be written by Beate Sirota, who was born 1924 to a Russian pianist in Vienna. She was only 23 when she participated in US General MacArthur's project to write a constitution for Japan!

Some historians attribute the inclusion of Article 9 to Charles Kades, one of MacArthur's closest associates, who was impressed by the spirit of the 1928 Pact of Paris, a treaty between the United States and other nations "providing for the renounciation of war as an instrument of national policy."

It was proposed in 1927 by Aristide Briand, foreign minister of France, as a treaty between the United States and France outlawing war between the two countries. Frank B. Kellogg, the U.S. Secretary of State, responded with a proposal for a general pact against war.

MacArthur himself has claimed that the idea for Article 9 was suggested to him by Prime Minister Shidehara.

Today I looked for information about the constitution debate on the Japanese government websites, but found nothing. I was disappointed! I wrote an email to them, hoping that they would describe this important debate and - most important - maintain Article 9 as it is, as an inspiration to other countries to also renounce war.

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