In Japan, polls show majority of public in favor of amending constitution but believe process should not be rushed

A total of 65 percent of the Japanese public see no need to rush to debate revisions to the Constitution in parliament, a Kyodo News poll showed Wednesday, despite Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's hope to make an amendment while in office. While 75 percent of survey respondents said it was necessary to revise the Constitution, which was drafted by U.S.-led occupation forces after World War II and has never been amended, there was division over rewriting the war-renouncing Article 9, with 51 percent in support and 46 percent against the move. Kishida has expressed that he intends to revise the Constitution during his tenure as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which will run through September. The agenda is apparently part of an effort by him to shore up the party's conservative support base. On a question regarding Kishida's desire to revise the Constitution by September, 65 percent said they feel "no need to rush," while only 33 percent called for expedited discussions at the Diet.
Read the full article here: Kyodo News