Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi declared her firm commitment to constitutional revision on the 9th, stating that "the constitution speaks to the nation's ideal form" and that she would "pursue the challenge of constitutional amendment while looking toward the country's future."
At a press conference held at Liberal Democratic Party headquarters, Takaichi said she "expects constructive, bipartisan discussions to accelerate in the Constitutional Review Commission and hopes for deeper active debate among the public."
"As LDP president, I believe we must vigorously push forward to realize policy goals presented in our campaign pledges, including constitutional revision," she said. "Based on the accumulated discussions and organized debate points, I am determined to work toward creating an environment where a national referendum on constitutional revision can be held as quickly as possible while gaining cooperation from each political party."
The LDP has long advocated enshrining the Self-Defense Forces—Japan's de facto military—in the constitution through amendment. The party included constitutional revision in its campaign platform for the July 8th general election. In the election, the ruling LDP secured 316 of the 465 seats in the House of Representatives, surpassing the two-thirds threshold of 310 seats required to initiate constitutional amendments.
However, the LDP faces obstacles to immediately proposing a constitutional amendment. Any proposal requires approval from two-thirds of members in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, where the opposition currently holds the majority. The next House of Councillors election is scheduled for summer 2028.
Regarding her decision to dissolve the lower house early for a snap election, Takaichi said she "asked the public whether it was acceptable to pursue major policy shifts." She added that "yesterday, on election day, the people gave strong encouragement to proceed with policy changes."
Acknowledging the opposition's continued majority in the upper house, she noted that "we will continue to seek cooperation from opposition parties to realize our policies."
Takaichi emphasized "responsible proactive fiscal policy" as a key policy shift, along with strengthening security and intelligence capabilities.
On diplomacy, the prime minister said "a stable political foundation provides great strength for robust diplomacy." She announced plans to visit the United States next month to discuss international issues with President Donald Trump, adding that Japan would strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance and Japan-U.S.-South Korea cooperation.
On security, she cited Russia's invasion of Ukraine, noting that "countries are rushing to prepare for prolonged conflict under the assumption that such situations are likely to become protracted." She pledged to "revise the three key security documents ahead of schedule and fundamentally strengthen security policy."
Regarding Japan-China relations, which have cooled since her inauguration, Takaichi reiterated her existing position: "We maintain our policy of building a constructive and stable relationship with China. Given the concerns and challenges between our two nations, communication is important, and dialogue with China remains open."