Tokyo lacks public support in revising constitution

In its 2012 draft proposal, the LDP recommended making the emperor the head of state instead of his current position as symbol of the state and to define the self-defense forces as defense forces, in addition to its call for exercising the right to collective self-defense.

There has been scant in-depth debate on this issue in Japan. Abe seems to be deliberately shunning debate on the sensitive topic out of political calculation even though he is a staunch advocate of constitutional amendments. For a better chance of victory for his party in Sunday's election, he has focused the campaign on his economic policies, known as "Abenomics".

"If he wants to make the self-defense forces a full-fledged military machine to defend the nation and enable Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense, why doesn't he seek honest and meaningful debate over the war-renouncing Article 9 with the opposition camp?" Japan's leading newspaper Asahi Shimbun asked.

Contact the writer at caihong@chinadaily.com.cn