Even after snap poll win, Abe shouldn’t revise Constitution

How to deal with the threat from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea may be one of the campaign planks of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party for a possible snap election. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will reportedly dissolve the lower house of parliament within a week and announce the general election — likely on Oct 22.

As the DPRK continues its missile and nuclear tests, Abe may find it easier to sell his idea of building a strong Japanese military and revising the Constitution to the electorate. An official of the prime minister’s office has said the LDP will make constitutional revision to legally transform the Japan Self-Defense Forces into a military one of its poll promises.

Abe has argued that the SDF can officially become Japan’s military by adding a new clause to Article 9 while keeping intact the renunciation of war and the ban on Japan maintaining the potential for war. Abe hopes to enforce the amended Constitution in 2020.

In this context, US President Donald Trump’s maiden speech at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday could be seen as a kind of pep talk for Abe who has adopted a tough DPRK policy. Trump vowed to “totally destroy” the DPRK if the US is forced to defend itself or its allies against Pyongyang.

On Wednesday, Abe urged all UN member states to block the DPRK’s access to “the goods, funds, people and technology” necessary for its nuclear and missile programs. Ruling out dialogue with the DPRK, Abe said in his UN address that Japan supports the US position that “all options are on the table”.

In fact, the Asahi Shimbun has termed Abe’s likely move self-serving opportunism.