Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Nearly a thousand Japanese citizens gathered in front of the parliament building in Tokyo on Monday to celebrate the Constitution Day on May 3.

Few demonstrators turned out this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Japanese Constitution, drafted during the US postwar occupation of Japan, has never been revised since it went into force in 1947.

War-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution has long been a target for those who want to amend it, including former prime minister Shinzo Abe, and nationalist groups, some of which also participated in the demonstration.

Anti-revision demonstrators called to protect the Constitution and keep Article 9 that prevents Japan from launching or participating in wars. They also expressed support for maintaining the mission of Japanese self defense forces to only defending the country.

An Asahi daily newspaper survey showed that Japanese were nearly equally divided on whether the Constitution should be revised.

The survey showed 45 percent backed constitutional revisions, while 44 percent said changes were unnecessary.