Proposed Japanese constitutional referendum
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Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution Referendum is a referendum that was expected to take place in 2020. In May 2017, then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set a 2020 deadline for revising Article 9, which would legitimize the Japan Self-Defense Forces in the Japanese constitution.[1][2][3][4] Abe and his Cabinet resigned in September 2020, due to Abe's health problems.[5] Under his successor Yoshihide Suga, parliament revised referendum law in June 2021 to make it easier to vote by allowing temporary voting station. The move was considered as a step toward the possibility of the constitutional referendum taking place.[6] Prime Minister Kishida renewed calls for the referendum in May 2023.[7] In February after her landslide victory in the 2026 Japan election, Prime Minister Takaichi called for a debate on revising the constitution.[8]
Public opinion
Constitutional Amendment
| Date | Firm | Sample size | Yes | No | Undecided | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 - 4 May 2026 | Asahi Shimbun[9] | 49% | 44% | 7% | 5% | |
| 2 - 3 May 2026 | JNN[10] | 45% | 40% | 15% | 5% | |
| 3 - 5 April 2026 | NHK[11] | 38% | 20% | 38% | Tied | |
| May 2025 | Asahi Shimbun[12] | 53% | 35% | 12% | 18% | |
| 4 - 6 April 2025 | NHK[13] | 39% | 17% | 39% | Tied | |
| 4 - 5 May 2024 | JNN[14] | 49% | 35% | 16% | 14% | |
| May 2024 | Asahi Shimbun[12] | 53% | 39% | 8% | 14% | |
| 5 - 7 April 2024 | NHK[15] | 36% | 19% | 41% | 5% | |
| May 2023 | Asahi Shimbun[12] | 52% | 37% | 11% | 15% | |
| 29 - 30 April 2023 | JNN[16] | 48% | 35% | 17% | 13% | |
| 7 - 9 April 2023 | NHK[17] | 35% | 19% | 42% | 7% | |
| May 2022 | Asahi Shimbun[12] | 56% | 37% | 7% | 19% | |
| 15 - 17 April 2022 | NHK[18] | 35% | 19% | 42% | 7% | |
| 23 - 25 April 2021 | NHK[19] | 33% | 20% | 42% | 9% | |
| 13 May 2021 | Asahi Shimbun[20] | 45% | 44% | 1% | ||
| 18 April 2021 | Mainichi Shimbun[21] | 48% | 31% | 17% | ||
| May 2020 | Asahi Shimbun[12] | 43% | 46% | 11% | 3% | |
| 3 - 5 April 2020 | NHK[22] | 32% | 24% | 41% | 9% | |
| May 2019 | Asahi Shimbun[12] | 38% | 47% | 15% | 9% | |
| May 2018 | Asahi Shimbun[12] | 44% | 49% | 7% | 5% |
Article 9
| Date | Firm | Sample size | Yes | No | Undecided | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 -4 May 2026 | Asahi Shimbun[23] | 30% | 63% | 7% | 33% | |
| 3 - 5 April 2026 | NHK[11] | 33% | 31% | 31% | 2% | |
| May 2025 | Asahi Shimbun[23] | 35% | 56% | 9% | 21% | |
| 4 - 6 April 2025 | NHK[13] | 34% | 28% | 33% | 1% | |
| May 2024 | Asahi Shimbun[23] | 32% | 61% | 7% | 29% | |
| 5 - 7 April 2024 | NHK[15] | 31% | 29% | 35% | 4% | |
| May 2023 | Asahi Shimbun[23] | 37% | 55% | 8% | 18% | |
| 7 - 9 April 2023 | NHK[17] | 32% | 30% | 34% | 2% | |
| May 2022 | Asahi Shimbun[23] | 33% | 59% | 8% | 26% | |
| 15 - 17 April 2022 | NHK[18] | 31% | 30% | 34% | 3% | |
| 1 March – 11 April 2022 | Kyodo News[24] | 50% | 48% | 2% | ||
| May 2021 | Asahi Shimbun[23] | 30% | 61% | 9% | 31% | |
| 23 - 25 April 2021 | NHK[19] | 28% | 32% | 36% | 4% | |
| May 2020 | Asahi Shimbun[23] | 27% | 65% | 8% | 38% | |
| 3 - 5 April 2020 | NHK[22] | 26% | 37% | 32% | 5% | |
| May 2019 | Asahi Shimbun[23] | 28% | 64% | 8% | 36% | |
| May 2018 | Asahi Shimbun[23] | 32% | 63% | 5% | 31% | |
| 2017 | Kyodo News[25] | 49% | 47% | 2% | ||
| May 2017 | Asahi Shimbun[26] | 29% | 63% | 34% | ||
| 2017 | NHK[25] | 25% | 57% | 32% |
