What Do Japanese People Want From Their Constitution?

The Constitution of Japan is the oldest unamended constitution in the world, but debates over its revision have picked up steam in the last decade. Various Liberal Democratic Party leaders have declared constitutional change a top priority, but it is unclear whether the public shares their commitment. This talk focuses on a specific distinction: whether amendments are perceived to be necessary (present urgency) versus desirable (future improvement). Professor McElwain will discuss this difference using evidence from comparative constitutional data and survey experiments in Japan.

 

Kenneth Mori McElwain is a Professor of Comparative Politics at the Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo. His research focuses on comparative institutions and Japanese politics, with a particular emphasis on constitutional design and change. He holds a BA in public and international affairs from Princeton University and a PhD in political science from Stanford University. During the 2024-25 academic year, he is a Visiting Professor of Japanese Politics at Columbia University.