A new survey shows that amendment support drops to 57 percent of Japanese voters. The Yomiuri Shimbun conducted this nationwide mail survey from March to April. Last year, the figure stood at 60 percent. Consequently, the percentage of voters favoring constitutional change has decreased. Meanwhile, those opposing amendment rose from 36 to 40 percent. The gap between the two sides narrowed significantly as a result. Specifically, the difference shrank from 24 points to just 17 points.
Although amendment support drops, expectations for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi remain high. A total of 54 percent expect constitutional revision debate to progress during her tenure. This figure far exceeds rates for previous prime ministers. For instance, only 26 percent expected progress under Shigeru Ishiba. Likewise, just 29 percent expected such debate under Fumio Kishida. Therefore, voters place relatively high hopes on Takaichi’s push for amendment. However, specific articles of the Constitution show mixed results.
Regarding Article 9’s first paragraph, which renounces war, 80 percent see no need for revision. Only 17 percent say revision of that paragraph is necessary. Both figures remain unchanged from the previous year. For the second paragraph, which prohibits armed forces, opinions divide more evenly. Specifically, 47 percent say revision is necessary for paragraph two. Meanwhile, 48 percent say revision is not necessary for that section. The LDP has proposed keeping paragraph two while adding grounds for the Self-Defense Forces. Support for this proposal rose from 54 to 60 percent this year. Opposition dropped from 42 to 35 percent accordingly.
Despite the fact that amendment support drops for the overall Constitution, public desire for parliamentary debate remains strong. A total of 71 percent say political parties should engage in more active constitutional debate. This marks the fifth consecutive year in the 70 percent range. Only 26 percent say parties should not engage in more discussion. The survey also addressed social media regulation separately. False and misleading information online has become a growing problem. Concerns include impacts on elections and defamation of individuals. Nevertheless, the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression.
When asked about strengthening social media regulations, 83 percent voiced support. Only 14 percent opposed such regulatory measures. Moreover, support for age restrictions on social media use reached 84 percent. Just 13 percent said they oppose age-based limits. Older respondents favored stricter rules more than younger ones. For instance, 79 percent of those aged 18 to 39 supported stronger regulations. Among those aged 40 to 59, support stood at 84 percent. For respondents aged 60 and older, support climbed to 85 percent. Similarly, age restrictions drew 77 percent support from the youngest group. The middle group showed 83 percent, while the oldest showed 88 percent.
The Yomiuri Shimbun surveyed 3,000 eligible voters for this poll. The survey period ran from March 9 to April 15. A total of 2,030 people gave valid responses. This represents a 68 percent response rate overall. As amendment support drops for the second consecutive year, political observers will watch closely. The ruling coalition holds a two-thirds majority in the lower house. However, the upper house remains a challenge for revision proponents. Future debates will likely focus on Article 9 and social media rules. Prime Minister Takaichi has signaled her commitment to constitutional discussion. Whether she can achieve progress remains an open question.
