Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized regarding constitutional revision, "I expect constructive discussion across party lines to accelerate in the Diet and for debate to deepen among the public."
On the night of the 18th, Prime Minister Takaichi, who was reappointed after being elected prime minister again following the House of Representatives election (general election), held a news conference and said, "Speaking in my capacity as Liberal Democratic Party president, since it was included in the LDP's pledges, I believe we must push it forward with strength," making the remarks.
In this general election, the ruling parties, including the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, won a landslide, securing 352 seats, exceeding the 310-seat threshold to introduce a constitutional amendment proposal. The House of Councilors still has an opposition-controlled majority, so it is difficult to submit an amendment immediately, but debate is set to pick up speed after the election victory.
The Liberal Democratic Party is said to be seeking to amend the Constitution because parts of the current charter, which has not been revised once since its promulgation in 1946, are seen as out of step with the times.
Constitutional revision was also a long-cherished goal of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, whom Prime Minister Takaichi regards as a political mentor, and former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, considered a moderate conservative, had also expressed his intention to pursue it.
The main items the Liberal Democratic Party seeks to include through constitutional revision are fourfold: explicitly stipulating the Self-Defense Forces in the Constitution, responding to emergencies, resolving the consolidation of electoral districts (gōku), and enhancing education. The core among them is explicitly stipulating the Self-Defense Forces in the Constitution, which is closely related to the pacifist Constitution. Article 9 of the current Constitution includes permanent renunciation of war and the use of force, denial of maintaining land, sea, and air forces, and denial of the right of belligerency. Because it states that the country will not possess armed forces, there is no mention of the Self-Defense Forces.
The Liberal Democratic Party has stressed that the Self-Defense Forces, a de facto military possessing fighter jets, submarines, and missiles, should be stipulated in the Constitution, and on the 2nd on the campaign trail, Prime Minister Takaichi also said, "Why shouldn't we write the Self-Defense Forces into the Constitution?" and added, "To protect their pride and to make the Self-Defense Forces a clearly capable organization, we naturally must amend the Constitution."
As for the agenda to prioritize at a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump being arranged for sometime next month, Prime Minister Takaichi said, "I want to confirm that we will strengthen Japan-U.S. relations in all fields, including security, the economy, and culture," adding, "I want to make it an opportunity to once again reaffirm our two countries' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."
In addition, Prime Minister Takaichi referred to the newly launched Cabinet as "Takaichi Cabinet 2.0," saying, "They are members I confidently chose about four months ago," and said all incumbent ministers were reappointed.
Takaichi said the administration would be run "with humility yet boldly," and again presented responsible expansionary fiscal policy, stronger security, and enhanced government intelligence collection and analysis functions as key policy tasks.
Regarding financial market concerns over expansionary fiscal policy, Prime Minister Takaichi said, "We will take into account the sustainability of public finances."