Although Liberal Democratic Party leader Shinzo Abe became prime minister Wednesday, the public remains split over his stance toward amending the nation's pacifist Constitution.
Abe has stated his desire to revise Article 96, which stipulates that constitutional amendments "shall be initiated by the Diet, through a concurring vote of two-thirds or more of all the members of each house and shall thereupon be submitted to the people for ratification." This is required to secure "the affirmative vote of a majority of all votes cast" in a referendum concerning an amendment.
The LDP and its coalition partner, New Komeito, already hold more than two-thirds of the 480 seats in the House of Representatives following the Dec. 16 election, but Abe is seen as unlikely to push this agenda in the coming months because of next summer's Upper House poll.