Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan

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Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan is the pacifist clause that renounces war and prohibits Japan from maintaining traditional military forces, profoundly shaping the country’s postwar security policy and international role.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf article of constitution
constitutional provision
adoptedOn 1946-11-03
aimsTo prevent Japan from engaging in war
promote international peace
alsoKnownAs Article 9
Pacifist Clause
Peace Clause
chapterTitle Renunciation of War
country Japan
debatedIn Japanese Diet
Japanese public opinion
effectiveFrom 1947-05-03
hasEffectOn Japan’s defense legislation
constraints on participation in collective security operations
limitations on Japan’s military capabilities
hasParagraph Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
influenced Japan’s international role
Japan’s postwar security policy
influencedBy pacifist ideas
post–World War II Allied occupation policies
interpretedBy Cabinet Legislation Bureau
Government of Japan
Supreme Court of Japan
language Japanese
legalStatus in force
legalSystem civil law system of Japan
mainSubject collective security
military forces
pacifism
renunciation of war
self-defense
paragraph1Text Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.
paragraph2Text In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.
partOf Constitution of Japan
relatedTo Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan–United States Security Treaty
collective self-defense
peacekeeping operations
section Chapter II of the Constitution of Japan
stipulates non-maintenance of land, sea, and air forces and other war potential
non-recognition of the right of belligerency of the state
refraining from the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes
renunciation of war as a sovereign right of the nation
subjectOf constitutional amendment debates
international law scholarship
security policy analysis


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