Prime Minister Shinzo Abe repeated on Monday that he wants to revise war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution to clarify the ambiguous status of Japan's military if re-elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Sept. 20.
Abe's proclamation set him apart from his only challenger in the race, ex-Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who said the prime minister's proposal to legitimize the Self-Defense Forces hasn't gained enough public support to warrant calling an immediate national referendum on the sensitive issue.
Abe also said that the unpopular consumption tax should be raised to 10 percent from 8 percent in October 2019 as scheduled.