Japan’s Potential Contributions to Global Peace under the Pacifist Constitution
May 3rd is Constitution Memorial Day.
Seventy-eight years have passed since the Japanese Constitution came into effect in 1947.
For most citizens, the Constitution has become such a given presence that it might be compared to the air we breathe—something always there, taken for granted.
However, that "air" is beginning to smell increasingly ominous.
The other day, driven by a sense of urgency that the peace clause might be lost, I wrote an article titled "The Constitution is like air !?"
This time, I would like to reflect on how, under the Peace Constitution, Japan can contribute to international peace.
In my previous article, I gave three examples of what Japan can do for peace:
"Japan has many opportunities to play an active role in building peace. For instance, taking a leading role in peacebuilding efforts within the United Nations is an important step. This could include Japan’s participation in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, as the only country to have experienced nuclear bombings."
"Japan can also strengthen non-military contributions to peace through economic aid, education, and other forms of support. These efforts are essential precisely because Japan is a nation that renounces war and military force."
"Furthermore, fostering international exchanges at the citizen level is crucial. It helps promote understanding and recognition of diverse values, cultures, and religions, strengthening peace diplomacy from the grassroots level."
Based on this perspective, I would now like to make several concrete proposals:
Proposal 1: Leading UN Reform
Japan should take the lead in reforming the United Nations by gradually limiting the veto power of the permanent Security Council members and ultimately abolishing the Security Council itself.
Step 1: Introduce a regulation that prohibits parties directly involved in a conflict, and their allies, from exercising veto power in disputes.
Step 2: Even if a permanent member vetoes a Security Council resolution, the resolution can still be adopted with a majority vote in the General Assembly.
Step 3: Abolish the current Security Council and establish a new council tasked with drafting resolutions on major issues for the General Assembly.
This new council would consist of about 10 member states, elected by the General Assembly.
Their term would be about four years, with a maximum of two re-elections.
Proposal 2: Non-Military Contributions to International Peace
To embody the ideals of the Peace Constitution, Japan should call on nations worldwide to renounce war. At the same time, it should gradually scale down the Self-Defense Forces and reallocate its defense budget toward humanitarian aid, culture, education, and environmental support overseas.
Accordingly, the current role of the Self-Defense Forces should be shifted step-by-step to international support and disaster relief both domestically and abroad.
Proposal 3: Peaceful Coexistence with Neighboring Countries
A new framework for regional security and international cooperation should be built, based on mutual trust, equality, and reciprocity.
To achieve this, Japan should eventually withdraw from the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty and establish a new partnership agreement with the United States based on non-military approaches to regional security.
At the same time, Japan should conclude new permanent peace treaties with neighboring countries, pledging mutual non-aggression and engaging in simultaneous, phased disarmament on both sides.
I do not believe these proposals can be realized overnight. However, I strongly believe they are worth pursuing as a roadmap for realizing the noble ideals enshrined in the Japanese Constitution.
I would be grateful if you, too, would consider what can be done to eliminate war from the world—and what each of us can do to that end.
If we lose the Japanese Constitution, a treasure we should proudly share with the world, it will already be too late.
Thank you very much.
Here is the Japanese version.